Extremists could take down Pak, says top US commander

New Delhi: Is Pakistan on the verge of a complete collapse? Top US commander General David Petraeus seems to think so.

Concerned with the rise in terror attacks in Pakistan, Petraeus has warned that extremists could threaten the country's very existence.

He presented a grim picture to a Senate Panel overnight saying militants in Pakistan could "take down the state" if left unchallenged.

The general said Pakistan's fragile democracy needs to be supported as it seeks to root out insurgents from the border area near Afghanistan.

"It is in Pakistan that al-Qaeda senior leadership and other transnational extremist elements are located," he was quoted by news agencies as saying. "Thus, operations there are imperative, and we need to provide the support and assistance to the Pakistani military that can enable them to confront the extremists who pose a truly existential threat to their country."

The US has stepped up its campaign against the Taliban mainly through drone attacks into Pakistan.

There were some tough words for the ISI too. Top defense officials admitted that a wing of the spy agency was aiding the Taliban.