Leaving open the option of US intervention, President Barack Obama on Thursday said his country had 'huge' strategic and security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable and its nuclear weapons do not fall into militant hands.

"We want to respect their sovereignty, but we also recognise that we have huge strategic interests - huge national security interests - in making sure that Pakistan is stable and that you don't end up having a nuclear-armed militant state," Obama said in a prime-time news conference marking the 100-day of his presidency.