WASHINGTON: Describing terrorism as one of the main challenges facing Pakistan, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday pledged to defeat the "domestic Taliban insurgency" and said his country stands with the US in the fight against the menace globally.
His remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani escaped an apparent bid on his life when shots were fire at his car near the garrison city of Rawalpindi, an attack claimed by the Taliban.
"I am committed to a democratic, moderate and progressive Pakistan. My views on confronting and containing terrorism are well known," Pakistan's ruling PPP chief said in an 'Ope-Ed' piece in 'The Washington Post' .
"I will work to defeat the domestic Taliban insurgency and to ensure that Pakistani territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on our neighbours or on NATO forces in Afghanistan," Zardari said.
He said Pakistan is a victim of terrorism too as "our soldiers are dying on the front lines; our children are being blown up by suicide bombers."
"We stand with the United States, Britain, Spain and others who have been attacked. Fundamentally, however, the war we our fighting is our war.
"This battle is for Pakistan's soul. My wife's inflexible stance on defeating terrorists cost her her life. My party and I are struggling to save our nation," Zardari said.
His wife Benazir Bhutto, PPP Chairperson and former Premier, was assassinated in a gun-and-suicide attack in Rawalpindi on December 27.
