ISLAMABAD - Top civil and military leaders decided in a meeting presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari to continue fighting Al Qaeda and the Taleban militants and to hold dialogue only with those ready to lay down arms. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, NWFP Governor Owais Ghani, Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik and senior defence and interior officials attended the meeting at the PresidentsÂ’s House.Official sources said that President Asif Zardari was briefed on the TalebanÂ’s recent truce offers and the proceedings of the ongoing in-camera parliamentary session on National Security. The participants agreed on making suggestions by parliamentarians part of the anti-terrorism policy, but the president said the government would not tolerate attacks on security forces and challenges to its writ in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Zardari stressed the need for launching development projects in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.