M A I N   N E W S

US pressure on Pak not effective: PM
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 26
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today admitted that the US pressure on Pakistan to abandon support to terrorism appeared not to be working.

Mr Vajpayee’s curt reply was “it seems so” when asked whether pressure from U S and India’s own efforts were not working on Pakistan to stop using terrorism as an instrument of its foreign policy. “Militants will not succeed in their designs. Our soldiers have demonstrated. India is vigilant and in a position to meet the challenges,” he added.

Talking to reporters after addressing a function to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations of the CSIR here, the Prime Minister said India would have to fight its own battle against terrorism. Asked how India would frustrate terrorists attack like the one on the temple in Gandhinagar, he said, “by being bold, vigilant.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs today said there was reason to be suspicious about Pakistan’s involvement in the Akshardham carnage.

“There has been a history of Pakistan’s involvement in the past. Pakistan is one-stop shop for terrorism in the region,” the spokesperson said. She added that US Secretary of State Colin Powell, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher had phoned External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and condemned the carnage.

The spokesperson confirmed that Mr Sinha had spoken to Mr Powell about the need for the Portuguese authorities to deport underworld don Abu Salem to India as it was part of the international fight against terrorism.

Act tough or I go: Thackeray 

Mumbai, September 26
Strongly criticising the NDA government for its ‘failure’ to effectively counter terrorism, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today threatened to pull out of the ruling dispensation if it fails to act tough against terrorist activities. 

“We will prefer to quit the government rather than sit and watch our country being insulted”, the Sena chief told mediapersons at Matoshree, his suburban Bandra residence, referring to disruptive activities by militants.

The Sena was not interested in sticking to power while insults were being heaped on the nation, Mr Thackeray, whose party is a key constituent of the NDA, said. He criticised Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for not taking effective action against terrorists. PTI