"Backlash of 9/11 was totally taken by Pakistan. If the role of Pakistan had been appreciate, if there was greater understanding of Pakistan's position, may be all of Pakistan's sacrifices would have been worth it," Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistan's Interior Minister, said in Washington.
"But Pakistan continues to be on the hit list of analysts who focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan," Khan said at an event hosted by the US Institute of Peace (USIP), a Washington-based think tank.
"There is general support for military operation in the country. The divide between the civil and military has been completely erased," he said.
In his remarks, Khan blamed the previous Musharraf regime in taking unilateral decisions when it came to fight against terrorism and not taking the country into confidence.
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"Decision by Gen Musharraf on terrorism was taken without any consensus," he said, adding that single factor contributing to all these years of Pakistan's fight against terrorism was lack of unity.
"But it is no easy task. It would take a lot of efforts of cleansing," he said.
Terrorist groups have gone across the border and trying to reorganise. They are trying to target softest targets, he said.
"The options for us are very difficult," he said.