WASHINGTON, Oct 30: Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorism is causing the militants to step up violence, says a US official, adding that the United States does not see a sudden increase in violent attacks as a sign of Islamabad’s failure in tackling militancy.

“We appreciate the continued efforts and sacrifices of the Pakistani military to eliminate terrorist threats,” said the official while commenting on a suicide attack that killed seven people close to President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s residence earlier Tuesday.

The official, who did not want to be identified because this was, an off-the-record briefing, said: “We continue to work together with Pakistan to combat violent extremism.”

The official disagreed with the suggestion that such attacks indicated that the government was losing its grip over the situation. The US government, the official said, views the situation differently. “If the terrorists are feeling pressure, what option they have other than to ratchet up the fear factor by increasing violent attacks?

“They must be feeling the pressure of what the government of Pakistan is doing, otherwise why would they be reacting this way?”