SBS Dateline | Interview with Pervez Hoodbhoy

It's been declared a 'war zone'.

This month, the entire nation of Pakistan appears to be at war with itself as the country's brutal 'do-or-die' war against religious extremism hits fever pitch.

Following an ever increasing spate of violence in Islamabad and more brazen raids and attacks on the military, the country's military forces have finally struck back with the kind of offensive Washington and Europe have been pushing for years.

This week George Negus asks regarded Pakistani intellectual, Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, 'will it work?'

According to the atomic physicist, who is also a prominent environmental and social activist, the army, "now with public support for the first time since the birth of the insurgency" has "finally mustered the will to fight".

Now, with that fight on - a major displacement of the population is also in process.

Officials have said this would be the final and perhaps most challenging of military assaults on the Pakistani Taliban, which has grown exponentially and now taken on Islamabad with unprecedented viciousness.

Find out more this Sunday 8:30 on SBS ONE.

On air: 25th October 2009