MARDAN - Federal Minister for Interior Rahman Malik on Sunday vowed to continue military operation in Malakand Division till militants elimination or unless they lay down arms and hand over themselves to the government. He was talking to journalists at Commissioners office in Mardan after visiting the IDPs camps at Shaikh Yaseen and Sheikh Shehzad. Flanked by IGP NWFP Malak Naveed, Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah, Home Secretary Fayaz Tooro, Commissioner Mardan Khalid Khan Umerzai and DIG Mardan Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, he said that writ of the government would be restored at all costs and militants were wrong in believing that negotiations were the weakness of the government. He said that no one would be allowed to destabilise the country. He said that operation in Malakand Division had been launched on the request of the people. He also claimed that all training camps of the militants had been destroyed and all their supply routes had been closed. The Interior Minister said that the operation was underway in the right direction and there could not be any timeframe for winding up the action. However, he added that efforts were being made to complete the operation as soon as possible. He further said that militants were not the enemies of Pakistan only, rather of Islam also. The militants cancer has been spreading over the last many years and now it has to be stamped out, Rehman added. Commenting on peace deal with militants, he said, The government made the peace deal in sincerity hoping the militants would lay down arms, but they did not and miscalculated things, he said. While rebuffing foreign media reports that militants had occupied 38 per cent area of the NWFP, Interior Minister said that those who were spreading such rumours were wrong and they should get accurate information. He also invited people making such reports to visit the areas with him. He also said that had come to visit the IDPs upon the directives of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. While responding to a query, he said that Pakistans nuclear assets were absolutely safe. If we can make nuclear weapons, we know how to protect them as well. He said. He also said that the government would help those people return to their native areas where writ of the government had been established and complete security would be provided to them in this regard. AFP adds: Rehman Malik said Sunday that more than 1,000 militants had been killed in the militarys three-week-long offensive against Taliban militants in the troubled northwest. More than 1,000 militants including two commanders have been killed while their training centres and bases have been destroyed, Rehman Malik told a Press conference in Mardan. The Army offensive will continue until the last militant is flushed out... the militants are on the run, they will be eliminated at any cost, he said after visiting a camp for people displaced by the fighting.