MP moves Bill that wants Pak declared ‘state sponsor of terror’

New Delhi, February 3

A Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha has introduced a private Bill that wants countries from which terrorist attacks originate to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016, the Bill — which independent Parliamentarian in Rajya Sabha Rajeev Chandrashekhar moved — wants India to snap diplomatic ties with countries like Pakistan, whose soil is used to plan and carry out terrorist attacks, and impose legal, economic and travel sanctions on them.

Introducing the Bill, Chandrasekhar said it "seeks to call out states like Pakistan that continue to associate, promote, patronise and sponsor terrorism against our nation”.

"For decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in Pakistan. Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream,” Chandrasekhar said. “This Bill is to finally put into motion the process of calling terror sponsors to account,” he claimed, quoting data that said that 14,741 civilians and 6,274 security personnel had been killed in terrorist attacks in the country from 1998 to January 29, 2017. He also referred to the attack on the Indian Parliament — "the temple of democracy" — on December 13, 2001, as he claimed Pakistan's history “and track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and indeed distinguishable and incontrovertible”.

"It is time that we stopped running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and did this job ourselves," he said, adding that the world had lost patience with rogue nations.

He also said the Bill could apply to other countries that directly or indirectly aid terror attacks against India. — PTI