Defeat in Swat is not an option for us: Zardari

London, Jun 5:Stating that the decisive military operations against the Taliban in Swat was a fight for Pakistan's "very survival", President Asif Ali Zardari has said defeat was not an option as the future generations will not forgive them if they "fail".
"As a matter of fact it is the fight for our very survival. The future generations will not forgive us if we fail. We can't afford to lose it. Defeat is not an option for us," he said in an interview to London-based Financial Times.

Claiming that the Pakistan army has quickly retaken most of the Swat Valley from Taliban, Zardari said his forces were now mopping up pockets of resistance.

"The military, though better versed in facing India than fighting domestic insurgents, has quickly retaken most of the Swat Valley. Now it is mopping up pockets of resistance," he said. Zardari, however, said: "it was too early to declare a victory." "We have a war of ideology to fight... Once I have the hearts and minds of people in the region, then I will say we have progressed," the president said.

He said the decisive military action has been possible largely thanks to "a shift in public opinion." "It (the army) has been aided in its task by a political consensus, thanks in part to support from (former Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif," he added. PTI