Islamabad, Mar. 31 : Echoing US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Hoolbroke's fears, the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Inspector General (IG) of Police, Malik Navid has said that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are planning to stage terrorist strikes similar to the 9/11 attacks in the US and Europe.

Addressing a briefing on the law and order situation in NWFP, Malik admitted that the Taliban is dangerously inching closer towards Southern Punjab with an aim to take the country's financial city, Karachi, under their grip.

"The attack on the police academy in Lahore has proved that they are now established in the city," The Daily Times quoted Malik, as saying.

"Their people are present in every city and town. In some places they are active, in others dormant. The Taliban's philosophy is to create pockets everywhere," he added.

Malilk also laid serious allegations on Madrassas in the country for imparting terror training to teenagers.

He said that five to ten percent of the country's madrassas were also involved in nefarious activities under the influence of Al-Qaeada.

"Al Qaeda is expert in indoctrinating suicide bombers within a three-month period," Malik added.

Malik said that the 1,000-mile porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was the root cause of rising insurgency in the country as it offers the militants to smuggle weapons from across the border without any check.

Admitting that the Taliban possessed sophisticated weaponry, he said there is an immediate need to modernize the police force in Pakistan in-order to counter the increasing extremism effectively. (ANI)