Islamabad - Pakistani security forces attacked hostile targets in the Mohmand tribal region on Tuesday, killing at least two dozen militants, an official said.

Jet aircraft attacked militant positions in Kandharo village before ground troops moved in to clear the area, which islocated close to the Afghan border.

"The airstrike inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents. At least 24 militants were confirmed killed in the offensive," an official of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force said on condition of anonymity.

Islamabad, Jan. 20 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that his country will not compromise on the issue of national security.

Zardari met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani here and told him that the government will not compromise on national security in any case, The Daily Times reported.

During the meeting, General Kayani briefed Zardari about the security situation in Pakistan, including the rise in tension with India.

Karachi, Jan. 20 : Sri Lanka will have an edge over Pakistan in the upcoming one-day series, captain Shoaib Malik believes.

Malik said Sri Lanka will have an advantage because they have played more international cricket than Pakistan.

"They have an advantage of playing more international cricket and have greater confidence levels than us," The News quoted Malik, as saying.

New Delhi, Jan 20 : Continuing its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai carnage, Defence Minister A K Antony today said that India would not lower its guard against Pakistan.

Antony also acknowledged that he was aware of Pakistani troop movements across the border.

Islamabad, Jan. 20 : It is highly unlikely that the Australian cricket team will tour Pakistan amidst the precarious security conditions in the country, a top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board believes.

"I don't think that Australia will agree to play the series in Pakistan because they have security apprehensions," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt said.

Islamabad, Jan. 20 : `War and Peace' rhetoric was back to the fore after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi saying that any military offensive initiated by India will be treated with a befitting reply.

Briefing ambassadors and foreign envoys of different countries on the steps taken by Pakistan to probe the Mumbai attacks on lines of the `dossier' provided by India, Qureshi said: "Pakistan would act in `self-defence' if there was any action by the Indian side." The Dawn reported.