New York, Sept 29 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zaradri has said that he wanted to suck life out the Taliban and other terrorists so that the menace of terrorism is uprooted for ever in his country.
He said he wanted to fight out the Taliban because it were a cancer to the Pakistani society which killed his wife.
"I will fight them because they are a cancer to my society, not because of my wife only, but because they are a cancer, yes, and they did kill the mother of my children, so their way of life is what I want to kill. I will suck the oxygen out of their system so there will be no Talibs," the Daily Times quoted him as saying in an interview the International Herald Tribune.
"It is my decision that we will go after them, we will free this country. Yes, this is my first priority because I will have no country otherwise. I will be the president of what?" he added.
He further said that he wanted to co-operate with the US in training specialised counter-insurgency army units for use in the Tribal Areas. But, he warned against US military incursions inside Pakistan. "It is counter-productive and a political price is paid," he said and added: "I mean business. We will train ourselves with the US present as trainers to raise the quality of certain forces."
About his own life, he said that he was concerned but "not fearful" because "I don't want to die so soon, I have a job to do."
Zardari said his 'new medicine' for the Tribal Areas would include industrial investment, incentives for alternative crops to poppy and a firm message that 'we are hitting the Taliban' so make sure 'your space is not being used by them'. "I am not a warmonger. I am not interested in physical might, which is not the expression of my strength. I have many strengths, and one of them is that I can take pain, not give pain," added the new Pakistani President.
Zardari says Osama, Zawahiri will be tried if captured in Pak
Lahore, Sept 29 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that if Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy Al Zawahiri were caught in his country, he might hand over the duo to the US for trial, but would do so only on the advise of "friends".
"The two Al Qaeda leaders could also be handed over to the US to face trail if 'friends advise' Pakistan to do so," the Daily Times quoted Zardarin as saying in an interview with the CNN.
He added that Pakistan can also initiate a trial against Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden or his second-in-command Aiman Al-Zawahiri, if it captures them.
The President further said that those who killed his wife former premier Benazir Bhutto could also target him. "Those who killed my wife are also after me," he said.
About the US' incursions, Zardari said such attacks into the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) would be "counterproductive".
Ruling out the possibility of a war between the two countries amid US incursions on Pakistani soil, he said: "Friendly fire is a normal thing even among US soldiers."
Pak plans a major crackdown on Taliban in FATA
Peshawar, Sept 29 (ANI): The Pakistan Government is learnt to have chalked out a decisive plan to launch a major crackdown on Taliban in the Tribal Areas. But, the actual implementation of the plan would depend on the "availability of men and material", said a government official.
"The government understands that it is time to launch a crackdown against the Taliban before it is too late," the Daily Times quoted an unidentified senior government official as saying. He, however, refused to give the exact date for launching the operation.
"Troops are presently engaged at several fronts like Bajaur, Waziristan, Swat, Darra Adam Khel and most recently in Shabqadar area of Charsadda. Decisive action would be taken to curb terrorists activities in Mohmand, Jamrud, Landi Kotal and other areas," he said, adding that it did not mean that the government was not planning action against Taliban in other areas.
The official, whose identity was kept secret, said that the government had been told that any delay at this juncture would amount to inviting bigger trouble in the future. "Therefore, we have to go all-out against those disturbing peace in any area. Action must be taken before it's too late. It's now or never," he said, and added that the recent operation in Shabqadar was part of the government's resolve to the purge all areas of Taliban."
Pak Army Chief Kayani satisfied with tribal support in chasing out militants
Rawalpindi, Sept 29 (ANI): Pakistan Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani has reportedly expressed satisfaction over the role of the local tribesmen in the Bajaur Agency in supporting his country's Army in its fight against Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
In several incidents over the past weeks, the tribesmen in the Bajaur Agency have dragged the militants belonging to the Pakistan unit of the Taliban - the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) out of their areas. At times, the tribesmen also used weapons in chasing the terrorists away.
They said that they chased away the militants in a bid to avoid attacks by US-led NATO forces which, in the past, killed some innocent tribesmen including women and children.
The tribesmen declared that they would fight back any outsider in their territory, be it the US troops or the Taliban or Al Qaeda.
According to the Daily Times, a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the COAS Kayani remained with the troops in Bajaur for a considerable period of time.
Meanwhile, Pakistan security forces killed at least 16 Taliban after coming under attack in Bajaur Agency. Taliban attacked three military posts near Khar on Saturday night, but soldiers repulsed them with artillery and mortar fire, an official said.
Early on Sunday, Pakistan helicopter gunships and fighter jets bombed Taliban positions in three villages in the district, added the official. (ANI)
