Jammu, July 19
The Pakistan media is engaged in creating hype against India for calling off the Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan that was to begin tomorrow.

Blaming Pakistan for the serial explosions in Mumbai and Srinagar that claimed about 200 lives, India had postponed the talks.

However, most Pakistan newspapers today launched a campaign against India for accusing Islamabad of supporting the Mumbai blasts.

They have prominently reported the speech of General Pervez Musharraf in the National Security Council where he accused India of playing in the hands of terrorists by stalling the peace talks.

In its editorial, “Back to pavilion”, Pakistan Times has said: “Keeping its traditionally hideous style of resorting to delaying tactics with one pretext or the other, India has eventually postponed the July 20 talks with Pakistan”.

“It’s really disgusting that Pakistan is always dragged into any terror incident in India without reason, logic and justification”.

Whether it’s attack on Indian Parliament or Chattisinghpura Sikh carnage, allegations of Pakistan’s involvement had always been deliberate with no substance whatsoever, it adds.

Daily Mail, Pak Tribune and Pakistan Times have carried Musharraf’s speech as a lead story.

The Pakistan media has also prominently carried comments of Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State, who has virtually given a clean chit to Pakistan in connection with the blasts.

Boucher had told foreign correspondents in Washington yesterday that India should rely on hard evidence before drawing conclusions.

Daily Mail has carried on front page Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talk with mediapersons on board his aircraft while returning from St Petersburg that he was not shutting the door on the peace process.

Another leading newspaper, Dawn, in its editorial described the ban on the Balochistan Liberation Army by the United Kingdom as “a symbolic victory for Islamabad in its efforts to muster international support for its counter insurgency operations”.

Jammu, July 19
Responding to discussions with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the state BJP today nominated Mr Arun Jaitley as a member of the working group on strengthening relations between Jammu and Kashmir with the Centre.

The party also nominated its members for the four other working groups. Mr Azad recently discussed the issue with Mr Jaitley, who is the general secretary of the BJP. However, the BJP had boycotted the second roundtable conference at Srinagar.

At the end of the recent two-day round table conference at Srinagar, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had announced formation of five working groups to establish a credible mechanism to give concrete shape to ideas emanating from the conference.

Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, a senior BJP leader and a former union minister, has been nominated to the working group on confidence building measures across segments of society in the state.

State BJP chief, Dr Nirmal Singh will be a member of the working group on economic development.

Mr Ashok Khajuria, party general secretary, has been nominated to the group that would suggest measures for strengthening relations across the Line of Control. Mr Hari Om, BJP spokesman, will be a member of the working group of ensuring good governance.

Mr Azad has already discussed the formation of these groups with his ally, the PDP, and the National Conference, which is the main opposition party in the state.

Former diplomats, jurists, economists and reputed personalities have already agreed to associate themselves with these working groups.

Former chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi will head the group that would deliberate on the special status of Kashmir in the Indian union.

Jammu, July 19
The APHC leadership has suggested to the “moderates” to assert their authority for “discouraging hawks in India,Pakistan and in Kashmir”who are engaged in derailing the peace process between the two countries.

The Hurriyat leadership has called upon saner elements in the two countries and the moderates to put their heads together for “defeating the machinations of the hardliners in India,Kashmir and Islamabad.”

Explaining it a senior APHC leader, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat yesterday said, “the current deadlock in the dialogue process,the result of the recent serial blasts in Mumbai and Srinagar,can assume two forms,confrontation or compromise.”

Neither India nor Pakistan could afford to adopt the path of confrontation because of the growing urge of the people in the subcontinent for a life without tension and bloodshed, he added.

Prof. Bhat said, “compromise is the only way out and it is possible if the hardliners are sidelined.”He suspected the hands of these “hawks” behind the serial blasts because they had become uncomfortable with signs of narrowing of the chasm between Delhi and Islamabad.

He said, “the APHC leadership is not a prophet of doom.I am sure the hawks cannot derail the peace process because I see light on either side of the tunnel.”

The Hurriyat leader said:‘‘We are ready for a mediation between Delhi and Islamabad so that the eruption of mistrust between the two sides gets vanished before the advent of any deluge.”

Prof. Bhat said once the two sides adopt a sincere and flexible attitude the current tension would'be over and such an exercise could result in a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue.

When asked if it was necessary for Pakistan to stop abeting crossborder terrorism for encouraging India to go ahead with the peace process and the confidence- building measures, Prof. Bhat said:‘‘We do not support violence but at the sametime India need not impose conditions for the continuance of the dialogue.”

He said,‘‘the settlement of the Kashmir issue is the key to peace and Delhi needs to explore various options for resolving the problem.”

Srinagar, July 19
The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will visit Leh on July 28. This will be his second visit to the cold desert. He had last visited Leh on June 27, 2003, as part of his three-day visit to all three regions of the state.

A high-level team headed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Basharat Ahmad Dar yesterday reviewed the arrangements at Leh in connection with the visit. He was accompanied by IGP (Kashmir) S.M. Sahai. They took a detailed review of the arrangements being made at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre and Degree College, Leh where the President is scheduled to attend a function.

Mr Dar also reviewed the security arrangements at the meeting attended among others by senior officers of the Air Force, Army, ITBP, and ITBF.

The Divisional Commissioner also held a meeting with district officers and reviewed the pace of development being carried out in the district.