Pakistan steps up effort to internationalise Kashmir before Clinton's visit

New Delhi, June 3 (ANI): Release of Hafeez Saeed, who is the head of terror outfitLashkar -e-Toiba, and recent statement made by Pakistani premier Yusuf Raza Gilani is being seen as Islamabad's ploy to internationalize Kashmir issue.

According to highly placed sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, Islamabad is trying to provoke India by raking up the issue to divert world attention from the "creeping anarchy" inside Pakistan.

Gilani on Tuesday said: "Kashmir dispute holds the key to durable peace in the region." Sources say Islamabad wants India to react on such statements and itself embroiled in verbal spat.

Sudden upping of ante by Pakistan on Kashmir just before the slated visits of to US under secretary William Burns and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India assumes significance.

It also makes it apparent that Islamabad wants to link Kashmir issue to the peace process and drive the point to Washington that Kashmir is still a prevalent issue and until it is resolved regional peace could not be restored.

What is inspiring Islamabad to trump up the issue is the fact that certain sections of the Obama Administration have hyphenated Kashmir in the past.

However, New Delhi is firm and is all set to tell the visiting US leaders that Pakistan has not taken any concerted action against terrorist organizations like Lashkar and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Sources told ANI that India will follow three-pronged strategy to step up international pressure on Pakistan to act against terrorists.

First at multilateral level like in the United Nations, secondly at bilateral level and thirdly by assisting humanitarian and rehabilitation efforts to bring peace in the region. India believes that this is the only way to end the era of militancy in the region. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)