Islamabad, Aug 10 - The Pakistani Army has wrested control of over 90 percent of the Malakand division in the restive northwest from the Taliban, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was informed Monday.

The local administration is playing a major role in the rehabilitation of the civilians uprooted by the fighting that erupted there in April, Gilani and army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani were told during a briefing in Swat, where they arrived in Monday on a daylong visit. The briefing was conducted by Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, who is in-charge of operation 'Rah-e-Raast'.

Strict security measures were employed during the prime minister's surprise visit to Swat and the entire area was under the full control of the army.

Gilani was told that due to its successful strategy, the army and the intelligence agencies had managed to capture several militants and due to the efforts of the locals many others had surrendered.

Tribal peace councils have also been set up in different areas of Swat and are supporting and aiding the government in action against the militants.

Quoting sources, Online news agency reported that the army chief and the Special Support Group told Gilani that the military, along with the civil administration was also working on the reconstruction and rehabilitation process of the displaced civilians, who were being provided full security.

Praising the efforts of the armed forced and the people Swat, Gilani said the government was working on a war footing for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure in the war-torn valley.

The prime minister said that the people of Swat had made enormous sacrifices and the government would not leave them in the lurch and would stand by them in their hour of need.