India should recall envoy to Pak: BJP

Says India should scale down diplomatic relations in the wake of Sarabjit Singh's death

BJP today demanded that India call back its High Commissioner in Pakistan and scale down diplomatic relations with Islamabad in the wake of the death of Sarabjit Singh after a brutal attack.

BJP President Rajnath Singh told reporters here that Sarabjit's murder is unfortunate. Condemning the incident, he said had India taken effective diplomatic steps in the past, such an incident would not have taken place.

"The Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan should be called back and diplomatic relations should be scaled down till Pakistan gives full assurance that there will be no provocation or protection to any terror activities against India and full protection will be given to Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails," Singh said.

He said India should lodge a strong protest at the international fora against Pakistan on Sarabjit's murder.

Condemning the incident, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said, "It is a cold blooded murder. This is not the way civilised nations behave."

The BJP President alleged that the attack on Sarabjit in a Pakistani jail is the outcome of India's weak foreign policy.

"I consider this a diplomatic failure. It is well known what kind of anti-India activities are taking place in Pakistan. Had India taken effective diplomatic steps in the past such incidents would not have taken place," Singh said.

He referred to the earlier attack by Pakistan forces in which the heads of two Indian soldiers Hemraj and Sudhakar were smashed and Hemraj's head was taken away by them.

Singh pointed out that after this incident he had suggested that India call back its High Commissioner in Islamabad and scale down diplomatic relations but the government did not pay heed to his advice.