ISLAMABAD In a significant development which may prove to be a watershed in the country's policy to counter religious extremism, the government declared on Thursday it has shut down five training camps of outlawed groups Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Lashkar-e-Taiba, banned seven publications, and blocked all their locally and internationally operated websites. 

In a consolidated effort the authorities have detained 124 people and some top leaders and officials of the banned outfits, including the top leaders Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehamn Lakhvi.
    

This is by far the biggest crackdown against a religious militant organisation, and self-styled charity, which has sent a clear signal that the government means business. One clear indication of the government's seriousness was Interior advisor Rehman Malik's acknowledgement of militant training camps in the country which, according to him, have been shut down.
    

Although there was no official response from India on the latest crackdown, in a visible softening of stance, the external affairs minister Parnab Mukherjee was quoted as having said that if Islamabad was not willing to hand-over the suspects, it should then hold their trials in Pakistan.

Rehman Malik assured New Delhi that Pakistan will not leave any stone un-turned to bring the people involved in the Mumbai carnage to justice.
    

Pakistan and India have softened their stances a day after Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, visited Pakistan and met with the top leadership. He urged them to shun differences and play effective roles in defusing tensions.
    

It is believed that Pakistan has intensified its efforts for taking action against the leaders of LeT and JuD after it received support from Saudi Arabia to do so. The two groups belong to the Deoband or Salafi school of thought that dominates in Saudi Arabia.  

Unveiling the details of the crackdown Rehman Malik said some five training camps had been closed down. They were located in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
   

Assuring India that sincere efforts were being made to trace all alleged culprits, Rehman Malik asked New Delhi to provide access to crime scenes, and jointly investigate the incident.
     

He announced the formation of a special investigation team headed by an Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to examine 'without any prejudice' all aspects of the Mumbai attacks. 'We are accepting the information provided by India, and we have formed an investigation team with a view to reach the culprits,' he added.
   

Malik said 124 members of banned militant groups have been detained so far. Among them are Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, Mufti Abdur Rehman, Col (retd) Nazir Ahmed, Ameer Hamza and LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
   

'We arrested a total of 124 mid-level and top leaders of JuD in response to a UN resolution 69 from Punjab, 21 from Sindh, eight from Balochistan and 25 from NWFP. Six websites associated with the organization have been blocked and five relief camps closed,' the advisor said.
    

He said 20 offices, 87 schools, two libraries, seven religious schools, and a handful of other organizations and Websites linked to JuD had also been closed down.
   

Significantly, Malik did not say whether any legal proceedings had been initiated against the detained persons. However, sources told Dawn that the government was considering a trial against at least three detained leaders. 
   

Rehman Malik said Pakistan launched an operation against suspects soon after the Mumbai attacks, and responded immediately to the resolution of the United Nations. 'India should wait for the results of the investigation it will reveal all hidden truths. Pakistan and India need to sit together against their common enemy — terrorists.'    

He reiterated that Pakistan has nothing to do with the Mumbai attacks. 'We condemned the incident on all platforms. Pakistan is also suffering at the hands of militants and that is worrying us.'
   

Responding to a question he called for a joint investigation into Mumbai attacks, saying that would 'bring quick results.'
   

To anther question, Malik ruled out handing over of any Pakistani suspect to India, saying Pakistani laws allowed for the prosecution of citizens who may have committed crimes elsewhere.