New Delhi: Even as Indo-Pak peace initiatives are afoot, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Dec 12, 2003) said there cannot be any improvement in the relations until Pakistan "discards" terrorism as its "State Policy" and stop hailing terrorists operating in Kashmir as "freedom fighters".

"We are taking steps aiming better relations with Pakistan. But there has been no positive response. They are not ready to discard terrorism as a State policy and continue to hail terrorists in Kashmir as Jehadis, which is illogical and absurd," BJP President Venkaiah Naidu said in New Delhi.

Addressing a convention 'Terrorism- a challenge to humanity' organised on the eve of second anniversary of terrorist attack on Parliament, Naidu termed Vajpayee Government's "successful efforts" to weed out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East as one of its "biggest" achievements.

"Pakistan's designs have begun to flounder in Kashmir. The situation is also improving in North-East, with talks being initiated with Naga groups and peace accord with the Bodos in Assam", he said at the convention hosted by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and World Youth Council Against Terrorism.

Earlier, Naidu paid homage to 12 security men who died thwarting the terrorist attack on Parliament.

He also honoured and handed over a cheque of Rs 32 lakhs to Sureshi Devi, mother of Commando Surjan Singh, who is in coma after sustaining serious injuries while confronting terrorists during the Akshardham temple attack.

Former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) K P S Gill and BJYM President G Kishan Reddy also spoke on the occasion.

PTI