Stop support to terror, Lok Sabha tells Pakistan

NEW DELHI: In a tit-for-tat resolution, Parliament criticised the Pakistan National Assembly for passing a resolution related to the execution of Afzal Guru, the chief conspirator in the 2001 attack on Parliament.

The resolution passed unanimously by the Lok Sabha asked Pakistan to “desist from supporting extremist and terrorist elements.” Aresolution passed by the Pakistan National Assembly on Thursday had asked the government to return Afzal’s body to his family.

Afzal was executed on February 9 in Delhi's Tihar Jail and was buried inside the prison shortly after. The strongly worded resolution said any interference in India’s internal affairs will be met “resolutely and with the complete unity of the nation”. It also reiterated a 1994 resolution of Parliament that said “Jammu and Kashmir is and shall always be an integral part of India.”

There were clear signs of worsening ties when a proposed hockey series between the two countries’ teams was called off on the advice of the foreign ministry. Foreign minister Salman Kurshid said he hoped Pakistan would “get the message.”

The issue was raised in LS by former foreign minister Yashwant Sinha, who sought the passage of a resolution condemning the Pak action. “I urge that this House (Lok Sabha) should pass a resolution to give a befitting reply to National Assembly of Pakistan's resolution,” Sinha said.