Front Page

Pak. must respond to global call to end terrorism: PM

By Our Correspondent

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal (right), in Shimla on Sunday. _ AP

SHIMLA, MARCH 24. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said Pakistan should ``abide by world opinion which has been globally formed against terrorism''. Reminding Islamabad about the historic Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, he said, ``India was always ready for talks, but there should be a similar response from the other side.''

Addressing a huge gathering here today to mark the completion of four years of the Dhumal Government, Mr. Vajpayee said that every youth should remember the year 1972 when a defeated Pakistan signed the Shimla Agreement and India had then captured more than 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, and the majority population of Bangladesh was not ready to go with Pakistan. ``When Pakistan was not able to retain its own province (Bangladesh), how could it ensure the well-being of Kashmir'', he asked, and asserted that Pakistan would never be allowed to gain control over Kashmir.

Mr. Vajpayee said Pakistan only believed in signing agreements, but never followed them. Right now there were no signs of peace proposals from across the border. The Kargil war, the attacks on the Indian Parliament and the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, and everyday firing on the border are evidence of Pakistan's designs. India had been giving appropriate answers to Islamabad's nefarious designs.

Defending his Government's stand on the nuclear tests, the Prime Minister said though they had been conducted against world opinion, they had made the country secure. One of his Government's major achievements was having made the country totally independent and self-reliant as regards its security needs. The Government should not be remembered by its number of years in office, but by its good performance and decisions.

Mr. Vajpayee also announced the formation of a trans- Himalayan development authority of which Himachal Pradesh and other border States would be a part. Elaborate plans to preserve the ecology of the Himalayas would be drawn up.

Work on the Rohtang tunnel would start from April 1. This would connect Ladakh region by road round the year. The Rs. 800-crore project would not only help development works in the tribal region, but also serve the national security needs of this area.

PTI reports:

Border forces to stay

Mr. Vajpayee said there would be no scaling down of India's military mobilisation on the border as Pakistani spies were indulging in sabotage in the country and cross-border terrorism was continuing.

``India cannot take any chances with external and internal security as Pakistani spies are indulging in sabotage, cross-border terrorism is continuing and there is no respite in firing along the border.''

Such actions did not indicate that Pakistan was interested in peace, he said.

Economic growth

Mr. Vajpayee said the Government intended to double economic growth from its present 5.4 per cent, but mobilising funds for development had become a challenge.

Expressing concern over mounting Government expenditure, he said a large chunk of money was being consumed in payment of salaries and pensions, and mobilising funds for development had become a challenge. Some taxes had been proposed in the budget for 2002-03 but care had been taken that these did not hit the common man.

He said the present growth rate was 5.4 per cent and the Government wanted to double it, but to achieve this expenditure should be curbed and available funds utilised judiciously. He said employment had been generated in the information technology sector, new records established in the field of space science and the number of below poverty line (BPL) families had decreased.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Pak. must respond to global call to end terrorism: PM
• People are still insecure in Gujarat: NHRC chief
• Violence must end: PM
• 'Enough evidence given to Pak.'
• Threat to blow up Taj
• Prabakaran to meet media
• Army officer killed

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu