ISLAMABAD, July 24: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Tuesday said that a multi-pronged strategy was being devised to deal with militants because curbing extremism was in Pakistan’s own interest.

Talking to CNBC, he said: “Cooperation with the international community is imperative. There are 7.2 million Pakistanis living abroad, therefore, the country cannot live in isolation,” he said.

He said that collective thinking in the US was that Pakistan’s cooperation in the war on terror was vital, adding that foreign dictates would not be accepted.

More troops had been deployed in the North Waziristan Agency to ensure peace and tranquillity there, he said, adding that during peace agreements in the agency security forces had not been withdrawn.

He said that various development activities were going on in Fata. “Road networks, schools, hospitals are being built to provide more facilities to the people living in tribal areas.

A short-, medium- and long-term policy has also been evolved for Madressah education.—APP