ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that militants had a “political agenda and wanted to capture state power” and vowed that the government would not spare any effort to root out militancy.

Talking to a seven-member delegation of members of the NWFP Assembly from Swat in the President’s House, Mr Zardari said police and paramilitary forces were being strengthened in troubled areas to enhance their capacity to fight militants.

According to a spokesman, Mr Zardari said the militants had a “definite political agenda for which they wanted to capture state power through violent means.”

He said militants would not be allowed to succeed in their designs.

He warned the militants against attempting to create a state within the state.

He said that talks would be held only with those who would surrender their arms and accept the writ of the government.

The president announced that he would hold a meeting with a grand jirga comprising MPAs and members of parliament from Swat, the NWFP chief minister, notables and all other stakeholders from the area.

The MPAs who called on the president were Noor Sahar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Ayub Khan Ashari, Wajid Ali Khan, Jaffar Shah, Waqar Ali Khan, Shamsher Ali Khan and Sher Shah Khan of the ANP.

Adviser to the prime minister on interior Rehman Malik and Secretary Syed Kamal Shah also attended the meeting.