ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that the present government has taken concrete measures to address the challenge of terrorism.

Speaking in the Senate, the premier said Operation Zarb-i-Azb has delivered a fatal blow to terrorists. He said their evil designs should be foiled at the earliest.

"In our resolve to rid the country of terrorism, we will march further than any of the world powers," he said, adding that there is no question of lagging behind in the fight against terrorism.

"More than fifty thousand Pakistanis have been killed in the war against terror," said the PM.

The premier said the government had called on all political parties for the formation of a National Action Plan. He said the meeting of parliamentary leaders had unanimously approved a 20-point agenda.

He said sub committees formed to prepare recommendations on 20 points of the National Action Plan have started submitting their reports and that these are being implemented. The premier also said he is personally reviewing the progress on a daily basis.

Military courts will actively pursue cases against terrorists, says Nawaz

He said the government has prepared the sketch of the amendment needed in the Constitution to establish military courts in the country.

The premier said that the government will present the sketch of the constitutional amendment in the upcoming session of the National Assembly while parliamentarians belonging to opposition and treasury benches will pass the amendment in this regard.

“It was decided on December 24 that the government will establish military courts and military courts will only hear cases related to terrorism while the government will fix a time period regarding the working of military courts,” Nawaz said.

About reservations expressed by Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Mian Raza Rabbani regarding possible misuse of these courts, Nawaz said an extraordinary situation demanded extraordinary measures. He pointed out that cases of serious crimes are pending with judicial courts for twenty to thirty years.