MINGORA, Feb 25: Pakistan will not halt a military offensive in the Swat valley until all militants are cleared from the once-popular tourist region, GOC of Swat Maj-Gen Naseer Janjua said on Monday.

“There is no timeframe for completion of the operation as there are still 400 hardcore militants hiding in the Swat valley,” Maj-Gen Janjua told journalists.

“It will take time to wind up the operation” he added.

He said the army was still on the trail of Maulana Fazlullah, a radical cleric who has demanded enforcement of Islamic law in the valley. The army launched a major offensive in November to drive his followers out of Swat.

“He is around Swat district but is hiding somewhere and keeps changing his location. We are behind him,” Maj-Gen Janjua said.

He said the army had secured 90 per cent of the region near the Afghan border, with more than 230 militants killed and 1,035 questioned during the offensive.

He said 36 soldiers had died during operations.

The mountainous and snow-capped Swat region is renowned for its ancient Buddhist relics and once attracted large numbers of foreign and local tourists, but has been beset by recent violence blamed on pro-Taliban militants.

Maj-Gen Janjua said hardliner religious groups were losing support amid ongoing violence, a trend reflected in last week’s general elections, which saw an alliance of religious parties lose control of the northwest region.

“Locals in Swat have been taken onboard by winning their hearts and minds. They are now resenting the militants,” Maj-Gen Janjua said.—AFP