ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Thursday urged the whole nation to stand united to wipe out extremists from the country.

“It is the responsibility of the whole nation to stand united against terrorism as the government and national institutions alone could not change this mind set”, said the information minister while speaking to a private TV channel.

Strongly condemning attack on Malala Yousufazi, he said, she is daughter of the nation and “we feel proud of her courage.”

The minister said Malala had raised her voice against illiteracy and extremism and she expressed her desire to become a politician as she idealized Benazir Bhutto as a political leader.

Kaira was critical about the political leaders, who were supporting the extremists for their vested interests. He said that Pakistan was considered as a terrorist state during the last regime. However, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led government restored the confidence of the international community by playing the role of a front-line state in the war against terror, he added.

“We are the victims of terrorism and the world community now recognises the fact and our sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” said Kaira.

The information minister said that the leaders and workers of the PPP and the Awami National Party (ANP) had rendered sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

He said that Pakistan's role in negotiation with Taliban cannot be ignored.