ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Monday to launch an offensive against militants in rural and urban areas of the country in an apparent expansion of the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).



"One Zarb-e-Azb is being fought in the tribal areas and a second Zarb-e-Azb will be fought against those who are hiding in our cities and villages," the premier said, while chairing a four hour long high-level counter terrorism meeting, according to the PM Office.



The premier vowed that a decisive battle would be fought against all militants, including those responsible for the Hazara Town in Quetta and the Peshawar Church attack.



“The government will not differentiate between terrorists and their facilitators. They both will be taken out," PM Nawaz said.



“Terrorism and sectarianism are a cancer for this country and now the time has come to root it out," the premier said.



Sources added the high-level meeting discussed various plans, including overhauling of criminal justice, and a new administrative and legislative system in the country.



Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, SAFRON Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt and special assistants to the premier Khawaja Zaheer and Barrister Zafarulaah attended the meeting.