Zardari says NATO forces losing war against Taliban

Paris, Aug.3 (ANI): In an interview given to the French daily Le Monde, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that NATO forces are losing the battle against the Taliban because they are failing to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan.

"The international community, to which Pakistan belongs, is losing the war against the Taliban. This is above all because we have lost the battle to win hearts and minds," Zardari told Le Monde.

He further said that coalition forces have underestimated the situation on ground" in Afghanistan.

He also reiterated Pakistan commitment to take the battle to the militants in the region till they were eliminated or they agreed to put down their arms.

As far the Taliban was concerned, the Pakistan president said that he did not foresee them regaining power after having lost it in October 2001.

He also confirmed that he is taking British Prime Minister David Cameron's statement on Pakistan secretly promoting violent extremism seriously, and would ask for an explanation and clarification from London.

"The war against terrorism must unite us and not oppose us. I will explain face to face that it is my country that is paying the highest price in human life for this war," he told Le Monde. (ANI)