US, Pak, Afghanistan and NATO forming joint strategy: Haqqani

WASHINGTON: Islamabad’s ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani says that Pakistan, United States, Afghanistan and NATO are trying to outline a joint strategy to fight militancy.

In an interview with a British TV today (Friday), he said that the government of Pakistan is fully determined to stamp out the militants from Malakand region.

“The recent bomb attacks in Pakistan shows that pressure is mounting on extremists following the launch of military operation,” he said.

Haqqani said that Pakistani government had started military offensive against the terrorists with the people support.

To a question, he said that bomb blasts and suicide attacks were not a new approach of the militants as they had adopted same tactics in Iraq and Afghanistan too.

“Pakistan, United States, Afghanistan and NATO are trying to devise a comprehensive plan to counter such attacks from the terrorists,” Haqqani said.

He told that the significant aspect of the new strategy was to stop the militants from fresh recruitments.

Pakistan army, he said, had rendered countless sacrifices in the war against terrorism. And added that Pakistani people realize that militancy is a big threat to the country’s existence.

Haqqani stated: “Pakistan has practically proved that it is a frontline state in the war against terrorism.”