US, UK condemn ‘ghastly’ carnage

‘‘We look forward to the terrorists being brought swiftly to justice,’’ Blackwill added.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw talked to External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha over the phone and expressed ‘‘shock at the appalling murder and attacks on innocent civilians’’. ‘‘These killings underline the need for continued action to eliminate the scourge of terrorism,’’ he said.

Later, BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu called upon the Congress-PDP government to reassess the utility of continuing with its soft policy on terrorism.

‘‘The Congress should immediately put a check to the PDP’s soft agenda on terrorism. While the situation in Kashmir requires a healing touch, this healing touch must heal only the victims of terror and not its perpetrators. I hope, in view of the serious situation, the PDP-Congress will review its earlier decision of disbanding the SOG,’’ he said.