NEW DELHI, Oct 25: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee called Pakistan “a terrorist state” on Friday and vowed to destroy the demon of terrorism.

Vajpayee’s fresh attack came a day after India began pulling troops back from the border with Pakistan.

“Our neighbour is assuming the role of a terrorist state,” Vajpayee told a rally marking his coalition government’s third year in power.

“It makes a show of fighting terrorism around the world. But it does not hesitate to send fidayeen (suicide squads) into our country across the border to kill innocent women and children.

“We have to destroy this demon (of terrorism).”

The 77-year-old premier arrived at the end of an almost three-hour rally at an indoor stadium and spoke sitting in a chair.

“We will fight (terrorism),” Vajpayee told 3,000 supporters of his 20-party coalition.

“We may not achieve victory immediately as we want, but we have to resolve to end it and prepare ourselves mentally.”

Vajpayee said the recent election in occupied Kashmir would change the region.—Reuters