'Chidambaram's comments on J&K are irresponsible'

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram''s comments that Islamabad was playing a role in instigating the Kashmiri population to commit acts of violence. Describing the statement as highly irresponsible and indicative of New Delhi not being serious about solving the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said instead of passing such statements, India should focus on halting and investigating the human rights abuse taking place in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Basit also said that while Pakistan was trying to continue a dialogue and find a solution, India was making the situation more difficult. Until a solution for the Kashmir issue was not found, Pakistan would continue giving the Kashmiri people diplomatic and moral support, he said.

It maybe recalled that on Friday (August 6) Chidambaram had agreed with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party that Pakistan appeared to have changed its strategy by fomenting more civilian unrest rather than the militant activities.

"Pakistan appears to have altered its strategy...It is possible there is altered strategy. It is possible they believe on relying on civilian unrest that would pay dividends," he told Rajya Sabha, responding to clarifications sought on his statement on Kashmir unrest made on Wednesday.

He was referring to the spate of stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir that are being witnessed for the last two months.

Chidambaram's statement came after leader of Opposition in the house, Arun Jaitley, said there was a "significant change in the strategy" by Pakistan''s ISI and various agencies across the border. Earlier, in a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an National Democratic Alliance delegation led by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani said the separatists, at the behest of Pakistan, had "adopted an alternative strategy".

"They (Pakistan) have realized that the global acceptability of acts of terror has ceased to exist. They are also aware that India''s patriotic and professional security forces can repel such terrorists and insurgency linked sabotage, blast and violence," the memorandum said.

"Their strategy is to convince the world about the so-called justness of Kashmir's cause," it said, adding the separatists are getting instructions from across the border.