A top US commander warns that Islamabad government risks collapsing if the Taliban militants are not defeated within next two weeks.

Gen. David Petraeus, commander of US Central Command, said in an interview that "next two weeks were critical to determining whether the Pakistani government could survive" in face of militancy.

Petraeus said he was looking for concrete action from the Islamabad government to defeat the Taliban in the next days before determining the United States' subsequent course of action.

However, the general noted that the Pakistani army was more powerful than the civilian government and that armed forces would shield the nuclear instillations from the Taliban.

This is while, Pentagon generals believe that even if Pakistani President Asef Ali Zardari's government fall, it is still conceivable that Pakistan's army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani, could maintain control over the country to shield the nuclear instillations from the Taliban.

Also, earlier US President Barack Obama in a speech on Wednesday kept Islamabad's civilians government to a very small size besides giving the Pakistani army much more importance.

Washington has also hinted it would initiate secondary back-door plans to take over the Pakistani nukes in the event of any exigencies in the face of the insurgents' advances across the violence-hit country.

The developments come as recently the Taliban were planning to infiltrate into Islamabad and other major cities across the nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The government security forces have launched an operation to flush out the militants from strategic districts near Islamabad.

The Taliban insurgents held the districts two weeks ago and had refused to leave the areas despite repeated calls by the Islamabad government.

Pakistan People Party (PPP) led government in Islamabad says it wants to initiate a national consensus policy to fight against terrorism in the troubled region.

Pakistan government has dismissed US concerns over nukes, saying Islamabad has full control over the country's nuclear installations.

Islamabad has repeatedly said that unwise White House policies were strengthening the Taliban and spreading extremism in the volatile region.

JR/DT