Taliban is taking over Pakistan: Zardari

New York, Feb 14: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said in an interview with CBS News has told that Taliban militants are trying to take over Pakistan. Speaking about the same, he said, "The Taliban has established itself across a large part of Pakistan, forcing the country to fight a war against the hardline Islamist group that is about Pakistan's own survival."

''(The Taliban) do have a presence in huge amounts of land in our side. Yes, that is the fact,'' Zardari told in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday, Feb 15 excerpts of which were released on Friday, Feb 13.

US President Barack Obama this week had commented that militants especially al Qaeda and Taliban were operating in safe havens in tribal regions of Pakistan. US wanted Pakistan to act strong against terrorism acting in their soil.

Obama nd zardari had a telephonic conversation on Wednesday, Feb 11 in which the two discussed about the increasing violence of al Qaeda and Taliban militants which has stepped up its insurgency against US forces and the Afghan government.

Zardari said that Pakistan had denied about the Taliban in the past.

''Our forces weren't increased ... . We have weaknesses and they are taking advantage of that weakness,'' he said.

Despite criticisms from many Pakistanis that Zardari is fighting a proxy war for US, Zardari has now put 1,20,000 soldiers into the fight against the Taliban.

''We're not doing anybody a favour,'' Zardari said. ''We are aware of the fact it's ... Taliban... trying to take over the state of Pakistan."

''So, we're fighting for the survival of Pakistan. We're not fighting for the survival of anybody else.''

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)