Kayani vows to defeat terror; Army to launch operation in Swat

Amid reports of Pakistani military mobilising forces for an operation in the Taliban-dominated Swat valley within 48 hours, Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday vowed to defeat terrorism "at all cost".

In his first public comment on the spread of the Taliban from Swat to Buner district near Islamabad, the powerful Army chief said his forces are "determined to root out the menace of terrorism from society" with the support of the people.

"Victory against terror and militancy will be achieved at all cost," Kayani told his commanders from militancy-hit areas in NWFP and the tribal belt at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi near here.

"It (the Army) will not allow the militants to dictate terms to the government or impose their way of life on the civil society of Pakistan," he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the military.

His strong comments came as military sources were quoted by Dawn News channel as saying that the operations against the militants in Swat were "on the cards" and a troop build-up would be completed for this within 48 hours.

The channel quoted sources as saying that Kayani had convened a meeting of commanders to evolve a new strategy in the wake of signals that the militants were fanning out to districts like Buner and Shangla near Islamabad instead of confining themselves to Swat.