WASHINGTON, July 2: The White House has said that Pakistan and America's other allies are making "great progress" in the fight against terrorism.

"Pakistan has taken the fight to Al Qaeda," said White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan on Friday while referring to the ongoing military operation in South Waziristan.

He divided US efforts to combat terrorism into two categories: the campaign to destroy the groups engaged in terrorist activities, and arrest their members and the programme for dismantling weapons of mass destruction.

"You're seeing great progress in terms of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan recognizing the importance of confronting these threats," said Mr McClellan, adding that Saudi authorities were now going after leaders of Al Qaeda hiding there.

Earlier, US Vice-President Dick Cheney also praised Pakistan's contribution in the fight against terror. "A strong radical Islamic movement had taken root in Pakistan, and was recruiting thousands for terrorist networks," said Mr Cheney, who blamed the previous US administration for "not engaging Pakistan's leaders or its military."

Pakistan's support, he said, was "critical to any serious effort to shut down Al Qaeda's operations in Afghanistan." "The future direction of that country was in doubt, and the danger grew that Islamic extremists might take control of a nation armed with nuclear weapons," he said.

The Bush administration, he said, "re-engaged with the government of President Musharraf, who has become a friend of the United States and provided support for our operations in Afghanistan." "With his help, we captured Khalid Shaykh Mohammad, the operational planner behind the 9/11 attacks, and we have destroyed much of Al Qaeda's senior leadership."