Amid mounting international pressure after the 26/11 Mumbai attack and Taliban's increasing influence in the tribal areas, the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday admitted the inevitability of his government to act tough on terrorism by saying that the ‘fight against Taliban is about Pakistan’s own survival’.
Zardari in a joint meeting presided by the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Taliban is aiming to impose their political agenda on Pakistani people through a parallel government, and it is time for the Pakistani leadership to thwart the efforts of the insurgents.
It is to mention here that the rising insurgency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Swat Valley has established Talibani forces in a large part of Pakistan. "It is indispensable to halt rising influence of Taliban by using force as they desire to change our living style," The Nation quoted Zardari, as saying.
Meanwhile, as per the reports of The News, another US drone strike has killed at least 32 people, most of them Uzbek nationals in South Waziristan on Saturday. The place is the strong hold of Baitullah Mehsud, an al Qaeda ally and the leader of Pakistani Taliban group.
This was the third drone attack inside Pakistan's territory after the change of authority in the United States and Barack Obama taking over the charge. Although Zardari is saying that Pakistan army is fighting against Taliban militants, his government on the other side has criticised US for conducting raids on its soil.
Earlier on the day, according to an agency report, the US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair has said in a statement that Islamabad should take all measures to crackdown terrorists outfits based in Pakistan to establish peace in the region.
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