Peshawar, Apr 30 : A large number of Taliban leaders have shifted from Quetta to Karachi, Peshawar and other cities and are maintaining a low profile fearing fresh US drone strikes.

Taliban leaders after discussing in detail the situation, caused by recent threats of drone attacks by the United States, United Kingdom and other allies, have decided to vacate Quetta with immediate effect, sources have said.

The sources said that majority of the top leaders have shifted to Karachi, Peshawar and other areas of Pakistan and are now living in a low profile.

Lahore, Apr 30 : The Pakistan Army is afraid that its entire force would disintegrate if it orders the rank and file to fire and counter the Taliban in a more serious manner, according to a senior Obama Administration official.

Bruce Riedel, who chaired the Obama administration’s recent review of policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan, expressed concern about whether the Pakistani Army would be willing to kill large numbers of Taliban militants.

Taliban leaders had faked a withdrawal from Buner to impress the media and the peace deal with the government in the Swat valley was also a trick, he added.

Lahore, Apr. 30 : After banning NGO's , cable TV and music shops in the region, the Swat chapter of the Taliban has now warned of carrying out `reform' of journalism and the banking system in the Valley.

Taliban's Swat chapter spokesperson Muslim Khan said the Taliban's next target would be the banking system "where un-Islamic affairs are being carried out."

Khan warned media persons in the valley saying they would be punished according to the sharia for presenting a wrong picture of the outfit infront of the world.

"The Taliban would take action against the people who are trying to conceal facts by publishing and broadcasting false reports," The Daily Times quoted Khan, as saying.

Lahore, Apr. 30 : The Pakistan Government has issued shoot-on-sight orders for `miscreants' in Karachi to counter the deteriorating law and order situation in the city.

State Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabeel Gabol said certain elements were trying to create trouble in the region by fanning ethnic tension.

Gabol said these forces were trying to sabotage the PPP, ANP and MQM coalition in the province.

Islamabad, Apr.

Washington - US President Barack Obama said he was "gravely concerned" by the situation in Pakistan and expressed fears about the fragility of a civilian government struggling to contain the growing Taliban insurgency.

Obama said the Pakistani government lacked the ability to provide basic services for its people and promised the United States would do all it could to build up its institutions.