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Pakistan PM says army fighting guerilla war against militants

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, May 9, IRNA -- Pakistani security forces are fighting guerilla war against the Taliban-linked militants in the country's northwest and the offensive will continue till the 'terrorists are eliminated', Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Saturday.

The security forces are engaged in full-scale war against the militants in Swat valley, Buner and Lower Dir districts in the North West Frontier Province.

"This is not the normal war. This is a guerilla war. It is our resolve that the army should try there should be minimum collateral damage. It should be over as soon as possible," Prime Minister Gilani told a news conference.

The prime minister earlier presided over a special meeting of the federal cabinet to review the military offensive against the militants.

The cabinet approved the prime minister's decision to order a full scale military operation to eliminate and expel the militants from Swat valley.

Gilani said that the cabinet was of the view that terrorists and the militants who are opposing the country's Constitution will be considered anti-state elements.

The government will send delegations of the parliamentarians to different world capitals to draw the world attention to the plight of the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the war zones, he said.

Gilani said that the cabinet unanimously of the opinion that as the terrorists and militants have no religion, religious clerics will be requested to launch a campaign to preach the true image of Islam.

He said that Imam of Kaaba will also be invited to visit Pakistan to help in promoting the true image of the religion.

A special meeting of the National Assembly has been summoned to be held on Monday to debate and approve the anti-militants offensive.

He said the government has adopted the policy of dialogue to resolve the issue of militancy but when it was not effective and the militants refused to lay down arms then there was no option to use force. He said that militancy had badly affected the development in the insurency-hit areas.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 477268