Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said on Wednesday that the government is left with no option except to crush the militants with force in the tribal areas and restive Swat valley. Speaking to reporters here, the minister vowed to intensify the use of force to crush militancy to maintain the writ of the government everywhere in the country.
Mukhtar was optimistic about early control of the security situation in the troubled Swat valley, where army is embattled with Taliban for the last more than a year.
To a question about Pak-India relations, the minister said that the tension between Pakistan and India could be defused but it would take some time to normalise the situation. Mukhtar hoped that ongoing talks with new US administration would help improve the regional situation.