Bathinda, February 10
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said today that an international forum should be set up to fight global terrorism.

Mr Vajpayee, who was here today to address an election rally, said India was ready to resume dialogue with Pakistan but before that, Pakistan must stop cross-border terrorism and hand over Indian criminals who were staying in that country. Pakistan would have to stop harbouring and helping the terrorists on its land.

He thanked the UAE Government for handing over the main accused, Aftab Ansari, alias Farhan Ali, in the January 22 attack on the American Center in Kolkata to the CBI.

Mr Vajpayee pointed out that USA had taken the initiative to set up an international organisation to fight terrorism. He added that Pakistan was also one of its members but its attitude towards terrorism should be scanned.

Mr Vajpayee pointed out that the General who was heading the Army of Pakistan, when the Kargil episode took place had later managed to become President of the country. He added that plight of the democracy in Pakistan was such that their elected prime ministers were either found in jails or hanged.

He said that when he went to Lahore by bus with a message of peace, Pakistan was preparing for the Kargil war. He added that if the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Nawaz Sharif, had knowledge about the same then it was a betrayal on his (Mr Sharif’s) part and if he was not aware of such thing, he was a “nikamma Pardhan Mantri” (a worthless Prime Minister). The Pakistan Government even refused to take the bodies of its soldiers.

He added America started supporting the policy of India on terrorism only after the WTC attack.

He said terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir would have to be crushed and BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was strong enough to do it. He added that those involved in the attack on Parliament and were subsequently killed by the security personnel were residents of Pakistan as Pakistani passports were recovered from their possession. Similarly, those involved in the attack on the American Information Center, including Ansari, in Kolkata had Pakistani passports.

He alleged that the propaganda of Pakistan Government that Indian authorities were involved in the kidnapping of American journalist Daniel Pearl was baseless and was launched by them to defame India.