No terror attack likely to be planned in Fata

NEW YORK (Agencies) - President Asif Ali Zardari Friday said the US predator attacks inside Pakistan's territory were undermining the efforts to win hearts and minds of the people. "It's undermining my sovereignty and it's not helping win the war on the hearts and minds of people," President Zardari told the CBS News in an exclusive interview. Responding to the increase in the number of US predator strikes on Pakistani soil, the President said, "Obviously the people who are using the strikes are confident that they're doing something. Otherwise they wouldn't be at it." He said the predator strikes and the ground raids by the US forces inside the Pakistani territory were unwelcome. "Anybody who needs to come to Pakistan needs to have a passport and a visa. So whether it's ground forces or air forces they need a visa and if they don't have a visa they're not allowed," he said. President Zardari, however, said that Pakistan was not being provided any information about the attacks. "They do not happen with our knowledge," he said and added that any prior information would be a welcome a step. President Zardari said the new US Administration needs to let Pakistan take appropriate measures against extremist or terrorist elements on its own. "The challenge for this new administration will be to allow us to have the capability of doing more. We want to do more. It's our war." To a question, it's widely agreed today that if there's another 9/11 attack ... a big terrorist attack like that, its most likely going to be planned in the tribal areas or planned already and what can you do to assure American people about what you're doing? President Zardari said, "Well I can assure the American people that nothing like that is going to happen in my watch." He categorically stated that Pakistan would not allow use of its tribal areas to stage any terrorist attack against the United States. He, however, said, "There's always a danger of them (terrorists). I didn't know that they'd be successful in getting my wife. We thought we'd protect her but we couldn't. But to say we'd allow it to happen. No." Many believe the Pakistani government does know, but can't say so publicly because the strikes are so unpopular. Zardari told CBS News his official policy is that they'd rather have the capability to do it themselves.

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