Washington, Apr. 2 : Expressing serious concern over the rising extremism in the country, the US Central Command chief General David Petraeus has said that religious extremists operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border pose a direct threat to Pakistan's existence.

Addressing a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting on Obama's revamped policy for Pakistan and Afghanistan General Petraeus said that the outlawed groups such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda based on the Pakistani soil along the Afghan border are posing more serious threat to Pakistan's existence.

He hinted that the US would not discontinue the drone strikes inside Pakistan, but also made it clear that Washington would consult Islamabad before pursueing `high-value' terrorist targets inside its territory.

General Petraeus said that it was very imperative for the allied forces to thwart the rising extremism in Paksitan inorder to stabilise Afghanistan as the problem was interrelated. The Dawn reported.

He vowed to root out insurgents from Afghanistan as well as Pakistan. (ANI)