Firm steps to deal with cross-border terror: President

New Delhi, Feb 23: Firm steps would be taken to deal with cross-border terrorism, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday, soon after such attacks including the one on the Pathankot airbase.

"Let me congratulate the security forces in successfully foiling the recent attack at the Pathankot airbase by terrorists.Firm and effective steps will be taken to deal with any situation arising out of cross-border terrorism," the President told a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.

Expressing the government's commitment to firmly deal with "all challenges concerning the security of the country," he said terrorism was a global threat and "strong counter- terrorism measures are necessary worldwide to eradicate it completely."

Noting that there was "significant improvement" in the overall security situation in the Northeast and Left Wing Exptremism affected states, Mukherjee said this has been made possible "through sustained efforts and measures taken by the intelligence agencies and security forcs in collaboration with the state governments."

Besides the Pathankot airbase attack which went on for four days from January 2, security forces battled for over 48 hours with terrorists holed up inside a government building at Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar till yesterday.

PTI