NEW DELHI, May 17: India will have to go it alone against “cross-border terrorism from Pakistan,” Home Minister L.K. Advani said on Friday, responding in parliament to this week’s massacre in occupied Kashmir in which 35 people were killed.

Mr Advani stopped short, however, of announcing any retaliatory measures against Pakistan, which India blames for the killings, saying instead the government would weigh all options before arriving at a decisive strategy.

“It is no time for rhetoric or emotions and the government has to decide after weighing all pros and cons and after consultations with the armed forces,” he said as MPs sought military strikes in Pakistan.

“But this is not the place to disclose strategies,” he said in an address shortly after a bomb rocked Srinagar, killing one person and injuring 17, and amid escalating tensions in occupied Kashmir which saw Pakistani and Indian soldiers exchanging mortar fire earlier in the day.

“World opinion against terrorism has been helpful to us but we have to fight our battle against terrorism on our own steam,” Mr Advani said.

“When we mention terrorism it is synonymous with Pakistan, the Taliban and the killing of innocents,” the minister said.

“We have to recognize that terrorism is a terrible tragedy that becomes greater when countries promoting terrorism create suicide squads,” he said.

“I would like to tell the house the three men who were responsible for Tuesday’s attack were all from Pakistan. All three were Pakistanis; those who attacked the American centre were also Pakistanis.”

He was referring to an attack on the American centre in Kolkata on Jan 22 in which five people were killed.

“Will someone help us? We have to win this war on our own steam. We are a democracy and with our limitations we will win this war.”

Earlier, an eight-hour debate ended with unanimous resolution which criticized Pakistan for its alleged support of cross-border militancy.

“It is essential that leaders of the world community take note of the continuing acts of terrorism encouraged by Pakistan so that united and effective action can be taken against the same.

“The house resolves to fight against such senseless acts of terrorism which are against humanity as a whole in a united and determined manner and declares this nation’s commitment to see an end to this menace,” the resolution, the first-ever against Pakistan, said.

The government had earlier in the parliamentary debate come under pressure from political allies and rivals alike to take decisive action to stamp out militant attacks in Kashmir.

MPs warned the coalition government it could not depend on the United States to help in India’s own war against “terrorism”.

Main opposition Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi kicked off the debate with a warning that India had to fight militancy on its own, despite expressions of support from the international community.

“We are told that the war on global terrorism is to be fought wherever terrorism exists, but so far we see this as statement of intent not a statement of fact. We are looking for this intent to be translated into action,” Ms Gandhi said.

“We would like to know from the government what strategy or plans they have to protect the state of Jammu and Kashmir from such brutality. The steps taken so far are not effective.”—AFP