ISLAMABAD: Terming terrorism as the biggest challenge for the country in the year 2013, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday called upon the government, political parties and all other stakeholders to sit down and chalk out a comprehensive strategy to flush out terrorists from the country once and for all.

In a statement, Imran Khan said that the menace of terrorism was a major hurdle in the country's progress.

He said that terrorism was the main cause for the prevailing economic crisis, adding that the government should take immediate steps to provide protection to the people, which was its constitutional obligation.

Condemning the killing of 21 levies officials by the Pakistani Taliban and the targeting of a bus carrying pilgrims in Mastung which claimed another 20 lives, Imran Khan said that during the past years, thousands of innocent people and security personnel had been killed in various terrorist activities.

Imran Khan said that it was need of the hour that the government should take steps to get rid of these problems.

He hoped that the new year would bring a change in the country during which the country would progress by leaps and bounds.