Pak to launch big offensive in Waziristan before Eid

Islamabad, Oct 11 (UNI) Pakistan has given UP all hope of reaching an agreement with armed insurgents in the tribal North Waziristan region and has given the security forces the go ahead to launch a major offensive before Eid, officials said.

''The government has opted for the military offensive after losing hope that dialogue with the local Taliban would succeed,'' an Interior Ministry official was quoted as saying by Daily Times.

''A Lal Masjid like offensive will be launched in North Waziristan in the next few days, with the aim of clearing out the militants before the Eid holidays end,'' he added.

The deployment of troops was underway in the restive region bordering Afghanistan and would continue until the launch of the attack. Army has sealed the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to prevent militants from infiltrating into the country.

North and South Waziristan and the frontier region of Bannu have been virtually cut off from other agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), they said.

Militants would now get no clemency, and they would be either crushed or flushed out of North Waziristan, the Interior Ministry said.

About 200 militants and 50 soldiers have been killed in fierce clashes in North Waziristan since Saturday.

UNI