More than 80 percent of Pakistanis view the Taliban as a critical threat to the country, according to an opinion poll released Wednesday, marking a major rise in public support behind the government's campaign against the militants.

The turn in public mood is a boost to the military in its offensive against the insurgency. Pakistan's army has been battling militants in the Swat Valley in the country's northwest, a campaign that has driven some two million civilians from their homes since April, news reports said.

The military has also expanded its campaign in recent weeks to the mountainous tribal regions South Waziristan along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where top Taliban leaders are believed to be hiding.

The survey showed that 81 percent of Pakistanis believe the activities of the Taliban and other extremists were a "critical threat" to the country, up from the 34 percent polled on the same question in September 2007.

Socio-Economic Development Consultants in Islamabad carried out the survey for WorldPublicOpinion.org, questioning 1,000 people across Pakistan from May 17 to 28, 2009. It gave a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Despite the refugee crisis triggered by the Swat operation, 68 percent of the poll's respondents expressed confidence in the government's handling of the Swat campaign, and 70 percent said their sympathies lie with the government.

A majority of Pakistanis have always opposed extremists. Residents in areas affected by offensives have become more cooperative, sharing information on militant positions, army officials have said.

In some spots, such as the Dir region, local tribesmen have launched their own militias to root out insurgents. The poll said that 78 percent of the respondents support shutting down Taliban bases in Pakistan used in efforts to overthrow the Afghan government, but 81 percent of respondents oppose U.S. missile strikes on such camps.

Source: Xinhua