New Delhi: Asking Islamabad to stop supporting and sponsoring terrorism before the world treats it as a pariah, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on October 18 said a "new chapter" in Indo-Pak relations could be opened if the neighbouring country hands over 20 terrorists wanted.

He said the terrorist attacks like that on the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Srinagar on October 17 would not affect the government's resolve to achieve victory over terrorism.

"A new chapter can be opened in Indo-Pak relations if Islamabad hands over Dawood Ibrahim and other 19 terrorists whose list has been given to Pakistan last year," Advani said while inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Antar-Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad.

Pointing out that the US government had declared Dawood as a "global terrorist", he said the External Affairs Ministry had again asked Pakistan to comply with India's demand of handing over the 20 terrorists.

"Pakistan should think. It should either shun the path (of sponsoring terrorism) or the way the world is reacting, it would be treated as a pariah," he said, adding, "Some countries are saying it, some others are not saying so yet as they feel it can be useful to them."

"We have to achieve victory over terrorism on our own strength but we want to make the world understand that no country is immune to the threat," he said.

PTI