2007年VOA标准英语-Pakistan Police Continue to Battle Religious Mi

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
04 July 2007

Pakistani officials warned heavily armed militants¹ holed up inside a radical² mosque³ in central Islamabad to lay down their weapons or face attack. After a deadline for 1100 local time passed, several hundred students left the mosque, but hundreds of others remained inside. As VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports from the capital, at least 11 people died in a day of clashes on Tuesday.

A religious student takes a drink during a clash outside the Lal mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, 04 July 2007

Despite a 24-hour curfew and reported cease-fire, sporadic⁴ gunfire could still be heard Wednesday morning near the radical Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque.

Power to the mosque was cut off Tuesday night, and Pakistani troops used armored vehicles and barbed wire to seal of the neighborhood.

More than a hundred mostly female students surrendered Wednesday after the government ordered the militants to lay down their arms or face further attacks.

Hundreds more remain inside, however, and mediators continue to push for a peaceful settlement.

Information Minister Tariq Azim says the government hopes to avoid an all-out confrontation⁵.

"We still hope that common sense will prevail and that they will surrender, realizing that they have no other option left to them now," he said.

Clashes at the mosque on Tuesday left at least 11 people dead and much of the city under virtual martial⁶ law.

Tuesday's clashes erupted after students, many armed with bamboo clubs and handguns, rushed toward a government security post.

Officials say the police were firing tear gas into the crowd when several students opened fire, killing⁷ at least one officer.

Witnesses say the mosque also broadcast calls for suicide bomb attacks over its loudspeakers.

The bloody⁸ confrontation follows a standoff over the past several months between the mosque's pro-Taleban supporters and the Pakistani government.

Lal Masjid's leaders want to impose strict Islamic law, like that implemented⁹ by the Taleban government in Afghanistan a decade ago.

Its students have led a series of provocative¹⁰ raids into the city, including several kidnappings of local police and a number of alleged¹¹ prostitutes.

The government has repeatedly threatened to retaliate¹² but until Tuesday it always backed down in favor of negotiated settlements.

The conflict comes as Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf faces mounting political opposition¹³ ahead of elections expected later this year.

Many of his critics used the Lal Masjid standoff to highlight concerns that the government has failed to control religious extremists.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

5 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

6 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

9 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

10 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。