The government has no alternative except to use force against the Taliban to end militancy in the country, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday while vowing to eliminate the insurgents.He was addressing a meeting jointly presided over by the president and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review the situation in FATA and Swat.
The president said the Taliban wanted to impose their political agenda on the people of Pakistan through use of force, adding that the government and the people would never allow a handful of insurgents to do so. Paying tribute to the bravery and patriotism of the members of law enforcement agencies, he said many of them had laid their lives on the line and many more had been injured in the line of duty. "They are our heroes," he said.
ISI chief: During the meeting, sources said Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha gave a detailed briefing on the current situation in Swat and FATA and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to restore normalcy in the troubled areas.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the ongoing fight against the Taliban, and vowed to continue until the Taliban had been removed and the government's writ had been restored.
Earlier, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the COAS called on the president at the Presidency and discussed various security concerns. They also discussed the Indian response to the Pakistani investigations and said Pakistan was committed to bringing anyone involved in the Mumbai attack to justice.