Tens of thousands of civilians are fleeing fighting in the Swat region of northwest Pakistan as militants battle government forces.
Pakistani aircraft have continued their heavy bombardment of Taliban positions in the northwestern valley, 130km from Islamabad.
Helicopter gunships, fighters and troops were all involved in the Swat operations.
Prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has ordered the elimination of 'militants and terrorists' after president Asif Ali Zardari assured US President Barack Obama of Islamabad's commitment to defeating al-Qaeda and its allies.
With hundreds of thousands already displaced by earlier battles between the government and Islamist militants, aid groups said the new exodus was intensifying a humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed his deep concern about the safety of people displaced by the fighting.
Pakistan's military has warned that up to 5,000 'battle hardy' militants are active in Swat, including Pashtun tribesmen and splinters of a Sunni organisation traditionally fighting for independence in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The view of at least some Pakistanis toward fighting the militants seems to have shifted in recent weeks.
In the past, many were opposed to action, saying Washington wanted Islamabad to be a proxy in what was essentially a US battle.
Now an increasing number of Pakistanis view the militants as a threat to the country, although it is feared the growing refugee burden could sour sentiment.
