New Delhi: The United States should declare Pakistan a terrorist state if it failed to stop cross-border terrorism against India, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said in Lok Sabha on July 16.

''If the US wants it can stop terrorism and put an end to terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan by threatening that Washington would declare it a terrorist state,'' Advani said while intervening in an Opposition-sponsored adjournment motion to discuss last week’s Jammu massacre and government's failure to combat terrorism.

Dissatisfied with Advani's speech, the entire Opposition walked out accusing the government of not spelling out clear-cut steps to deal with Pakistan-backed terrorism.

Later, the House rejected the motion, moved by Congress deputy leader Shivraj Patil, by a voice vote.

Firmly ruling out any third-party mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue, Advani asserted that India would have to fight its own battle against terrorism being sponsored from across the border.

PTI