Pak will use all means to eliminate terrorists: Gilani

Islamabad, May 26: Pakistan will use all "means" to eliminate terrorists and their sanctuaries inside the country, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said, amidst rising criticism of the country's armed forces in the wake of deadly 16 hour standoff at a key naval air base at Karachi.

Asserting that Pakistan was now entering a "defining phase" in the fight against terrorism, Gilani said "security, defence and law enforcement agencies will be authorised to use all means to eliminate terrorists and militants."

The Prime Minister, who made these remarks after a crucial meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DDC) followed by the meeting with the defence chiefs, gave no indication whether the army was considering new offensive along the Afghan border, where most of the radical militant groups are based.

The US has been pressing Pakistan hard for offensive in North Waziristan, where it suspects that highly trained cadres of the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network are based.

The second meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet in less than a fortnight was presided over by Gilani and was attended by federal ministers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the three service chief and the Director General of ISI.

It had been convened to discuss the security situation in the aftermath of the brazen weekend attack on the Karachi naval air base. In his opening remark, Gilani called for revisiting the counter-terrorism strategy.

PTI