'PM must tell Zardari no dialogue till terror stops'

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said it expects Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to categorically convey to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during his forthcoming visit that no "normal dialogue" is possible between the two countries till it stops sponsoring terrorism against India.

"We expect the prime minister of India to convey in very clear, categorical and unequivocal terms and as firmly as possible to Mr Zardari, the democratically elected President of Pakistan --  whose visit we welcome -- that no normal dialogue between India and Pakistan is possible unless Pakistan stops -- very  clearly -- sponsored terrorism against India," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

He maintained that for the BJP and the nation at large, the biggest concern is that "a wing of the Pakistan army" sponsors terrorists against India. Though his reference was clearly to ISI, he did not name the organisation.

Prasad insisted that it is important to inform Zardari that David Headley and Ajmal Kasab have confessed that a section of the Pakistan army patronised and helped them.

"I expect the prime minister to be very categorical about these things. I saw an utter sense of hopelessness in the utterances of Home Minister P Chidamabaram on Tuesday if Pakistan does not take any action," Prasad said.

 BJP maintained that inaction on the part of Pakistan against terrorism is a cause for concern and it expects Prime Minister Singh to convey this to Pakistan very clearly.

"What BJP wants to highlight is that not only the intention is unclear but even the capacity and the ability of Pakistani leadership to deliver on the fight against terror is becoming suspect," Prasad said.

BJP suggested that India should explore the available diplomatic ways to effectively convey to Pakistan government that inaction on its part against terrorism sponsored from its soil is not acceptable.

"The nation expects that terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks will be punished. LeT founder Hafiz Saeed moves around freely (in Pakistan) even today and spews venom against India. There are several cases against him. There is ample evidence connecting him to the Mumbai attacks," Prasad said.

India has maintained that Saeed was the chief architect of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. A bounty of USD 10 milliom was declared on him by the US on Monday.