Talking to a private TV channel on October 3, 2008 Rehman Malik said that Pakistan's war against extremists will go on until the country is "terrorism free." This is no ordinary statement. Prior to this the president and PM have confirmed their commitment against the international War On Terror as an ally of the US led global effort ever since the tragedy of 9/11. Pakistan remained aloof from the war in Iraq, but when US/NATO forces invaded Afghanistan Pakistan became a major non-NATO ally. This involvement not only became deeper and deeper but also assumed dangerous proportions as a result of the developments along the Pak-Afghan border. The creation of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and certain other rebel warlords in Swat and Bajaur areas challenged the writ of the government resulting in launching of military action which is currently in progress. The two latest tragic incidents of suicide bombing at Marriott Hotel and Charsadda has raised a new threat to Pakistan's national security. Pakistan's contribution in this war against terrorism cannot the viewed in isolation because it is a 'part' of the international efforts. Pakistan's total contribution till date is more than the combined contribution of all other 37 allies by way of contribution of troops and causalities suffered. The Pakistani nation feels hurt when, instead of appreciation, Washington repeatedly urges Islamabad "to do more." As the US presidential election approaches, the Republican and Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates seem to have entered an unholy alliance to place the entire burden of their failure in Afghanistan on the most plausible and easily available shoulders of Islamabad. In their latest outburst both US VP hopefuls Biden and Palin have declared Pakistan and Iran as threat to the world. To win the Jewish lobby and greater number of votes, Biden has gone to the extent of accusing Pakistan for having deployed its nuclear weapons to hit Israel. This reminds me on charges against Iraq for piles of weapons of mass destruction ready to be launched against USA. Today the whole world knows about the truth about these WMD in Iraq. No wonder Pakistan's nuclear asserts are causing so much concern in Washington. No wonder therefore that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to fight extremists had to lodge a protest that Pakistan was being made a scapegoat for the failure of the US led coalition forces in Afghanistan to contain the insurgency. This is the external support Pakistan can expect in the present war against terrorism, which is seriously threatening the nation itself. Now let us candidly look at the domestic scenario. Whereas I sincerely appreciate with all my heart the resolve of Rehman Malik that "the current government will fight until the militants are either killed or forced to flee Pakistan, there is no other option." But permit me to submit respectfully that no government alone can wage such a war against the total support of the entire nation. The military action may establish the writ of the government and defuse the situation for a while but that is not a permanent solution. The US assessment to achieve their goal through direct missile hits or helicopter borne incursions is Utopian dreams doomed to fail. The latest missile attack in North Waziristan Friday last killing around 20 Al-Qaeda linked militants could have been better organised through intelligence sharing with the Pak army. The challenge facing Pakistan is much bigger than the capacity of the Ministry of Interior to handle it alone. It requires a national resolve back by all organs of national power. Pakistan, at the moment, is unfortunately far from having achieved national consensus with regard to the strategy to be adopted to succeed in our mission, that is "to make Pakistan terrorism free." Whereas the current government is quite sincere in carrying on this war "unless we reach its logical conclusion, there being no other option, the opposition parties inside and outside the Parliament make no secret of declaring that the present war against extremism and terrorism is not Pakistan's war. They also declare other options to the present problem urging the current government to review Pakistan's continuation as an ally in the US led war. This is a divergent view which must be respected and treated according to democratic parliamentary traditions. The strategy how to win this war demands a national debate and a strategy evolved with national consensus to ensure success. The writer is the president of the Pakistan National Foundation E-mail: ikramullah@nation.com.pk