'We have devised strategy'

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday devised a three-pronged strategy to cope with the situation created by the Mumbai terror attacks and escalating tension with India over accusations that Pakistan-based elements were responsible for the crime.

"The Pakistani leadership has decided to engage all political parties at home, contact friendly capitals and brief Islamabad-based diplomats as well as extend all help to India in the investigation process of the Mumbai carnage," officials said.

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will brief Islamabad-based diplomats on the country's standpoint over escalation of tensions with India.

Pakistani Military Spokesman Major General Athar Abbas meanwhile told the media there was no unusual movement of Indian troops on the borders.

The statement was made hours after security officials in Islamabad in their background briefing to the media had termed the next 48 hours as very crucial over heightened tensions with neighbouring India amid reports the Indian Air Force has been placed on high alert.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani yesterday cancelled his Hong Kong visit where he was scheduled to participate in the Bill Clinton Global Initiative Conference.

The Premier meanwhile completed his telephone consultations with leaders of mainstream political parties over Pakistan's standpoint on the row with India and the future line of action.

Gilani consulted PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali, JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-Q Chief Ch Shujaat Hussain, Jamaat e Islmai Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad and others.

"The Prime Minister took all these political leaders into confidence on the current situation, who in turn assured the Prime Minister of their full support and cooperation at this critical juncture," an official statement said.

But opposition leader in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan took the government head-on over what he termed as its indecision over Indian threats and the controversy regarding sending the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief to India.

The Pakistani Cabinet on Friday endorsed a government decision not to send the ISI Chief to India - a demand made by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his telephone conversation with the Pakistan premier after the Mumbai attacks.

Officials privy to the development pointed out the Pakistani government had in the first place agreed to send the Chief of its premier intelligence agency to India to help out the investigation process, but backtracked in the wake of severe pressure from the military establishment and criticism from opposition leaders who charged that the Zardari-Gilani government was giving in much too early.

Other opposition leaders like hardline Jamaat e Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad also ridiculed the government over the ISI Chief's India visit issue.

Even the PPP ally in the central government, Chief of right wing JUI (F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, asked the government to get its act together and face Indian threats head-on.

President Asif Ali Zardari was, however, quick in defending the government on the issue.

"It was too early for the Director Generals to meet at the moment. Let the evidence come to light; let the investigations take its course. Then perhaps there is a position where the Directors General could meet," Zardari told Indian Channel CNN-IBN in an interview.

"The DG is too senior a person to get into the investigation. He is a person who oversees the investigation," he argued.

Zardari assured India that if any evidence pointed to any individual or any group, he would take the strictest of action in the light of evidence, in front of the world.

"Whoever is responsible for the brutal and crude act against the Indian people and India are looking for a provocative reaction, and we have to rise above them and make sure ourselves, yourselves and the world community guard against any kind of overreaction," he added.

He assured India that if any evidence pointed to any terrorist camp and if Pakistan discovered anything of that sort "we would not only close down but also will take action against those running the camps."