Take credible action against terror groups: India to Pak

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Ascertaining that there is greater appreciation in international community of the threat to the region and the world from terror emanating from Pakistan, India Thursday said it expects Islamabad to take "decisive and credible action" against all terror groups operating from its territory.

Calling the attack in Mumbai as a deliberate plan to
retard India's economic progress, the Government said
terrorists from Pakistan have continued to attack India
despite solemn commitments given by Islamabad at the highest
level that it will not allow its territory to be used against
India in any manner.

The sharp comments on Pakistan's role in fomenting
terrorism in India were the highlight of President Pratibha
Patil's customary address to joint sitting of Parliament, the
first this year and the last in the current Lok Sabha.

In her more than hour-long address, she also touched
upon the global economic downturn but expressed confidence
that the Indian economy would grow at a relatively high pace
of 7.1 percent in the financial year of 2009.

Recounting the record of the Government in the last
nearly five years, Patil said "looking back, we see hope. We
have not only withstood the challenges but also emerged
stronger."

Patil said "the spirit of ordinary people rising
together as one overcame the challenge to our nation from
terrorist violence.

"The calibrated and prudent economic reform pursued by
our government is helping us to weather the extreme
adversities of the global economic meltdown."

Noting that the nation may face multiple internal
security challenges, the President said the country witnessed
terrorist attacks in several cities with growing levels of
sophistication and assistance from outside the country.

"Several innocent lives have been lost. The terrorist
attack in Mumbai as well as the terrorist incidents in Delhi,
Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Assam and before
that on our Embassy in Kabul, were an assault on all the
values that our country stands for," she said.

Patil said the attack in Mumbai was deliberately
planned to retard country's economic progress.

"My government is heartened by the international
support it has received after these attacks. There is greater
appreciation in the international community of the threat that
exists to the region and the world from the terrorism
emanating from Pakistan," she said.

The President said Pakistan has eroded the
achievements of the bilateral dialogue process and has caused
a grave setback to relations.

The President said despite solemn commitment given by
Islamabad at the highest level that it would not allow
territory under its control to be used for terrorism in any
manner against India, terrorists from Pakistan have continued
to attack India.

"We expect Pakistan to honour the commitments made to
us, and to take decisive and credible action against all
terrorists group that are based in and operate from its
territory," Patil said.

Saluting the security forces including police in
tackling terror, left-wing extremist and insurgent groups, she
said the Government has strengthened the country’s internal
security to protect people from such mindless acts of
violence.

Patil said while arming the internal security
apparatus with powers, all care would be taken to uphold legal
procedures and prevent any misuse of such powers. "A
comprehensive plan has been drawn up to strengthen maritime
and coastal security against threats from the sea," she said.

The President said the signing of Indo-US nuclear deal
was one of the manifestations of the transformation of India's
relationship with the US.

"We look forward to working with the new
Administration to mutual benefit in the bilateral field as
well as the major challenges of our time," she said.

Touching on economy, the President said the
Government's policies have ensured that even as India faces an
economic slowdown along with rest of the world, its
fundamentals are much better.

She said India's domestic demand can inject fresh
momentum to the economy while the Indian banks were well
capitalised and faced no threat that many of their
counterparts faced in other parts of the world.

Referring to the economic stimulus measures taken by
the Government, Patil expressed confidence that they will
drive the demand for goods and services, reviving production
activities in the manufacturing as well as services sectors.

Even in the prevailing adverse global economic
environment, she hoped the Indian economy would still register
a relatively high growth rate.

The President said the sharp increase in global
commodity prices, especially those of petroleum and food, have
an adverse impact on the economy.

"This shock was in large measure absorbed by the
government and the citizen insulated. This also required that
the Government put in place several fiscal and monetary
measures to contain inflation," she said.

As a result of these actions, she said the government
has been able to bring down the rate of inflation from 12 per
cent in September last year to five to six per cent in January
this year. The prices of petrol, diesel and LPG have also been
reduced to provide relief to the common man. PTI ACB
PMR