LONDON: Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari said that defeating the ideology of terrorists was necessary in order to win the battle against militancy, DawnNews reported.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday in London, Zardari said that the international community woke up too late over the threat of militancy.

The former president said that he had highlighted several times at international forums that the world is losing the war against terrorism.

“Terrorism cannot be defeated by simply fighting militants…the mindset has to be defeated as well,” he said.

Read more: Global efforts failing to stamp out terror: Zardari

“Our party the Pakistan Peoples Party has sacrificed the most in the fight against terrorism,” the former president said.

While speaking about the political situation in Pakistan, he expressed hope that the current government will complete its five-year tenure.

“We fought against dictatorship for ten years and for the restoration of democracy...For the first time in Pakistan’s history a democratic government has completed its term,” said Zardari.

He also said that he wants to complete former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s mission.