S M Krishna criticised for not defending G K Pillai

Why Krishna didn't defend Pillai - this is the question India is asking a day after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed India's Home Secretary GK Pillai in the joint press conference held in Islamabad. Indo-Pak dialogue stumbles | Podcast

This is the question India is asking a day after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed India's Home Secretary GK Pillai in the joint press conference held in Islamabad. External Affairs Minister S M Kirshna did not defend him.

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Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took exception to the fact that the Indian home secretary had made the comments at all ahead of the talks, saying it was unhelpful to the peace process.

"We discussed it, and we're both of the opinion it (the home secretary's comments) was uncalled for," Qureshi said.

Krishna, who sat beside him, said nothing.

This drew sharp reaction from Indian people, media and the Opposition. The BJP said the castigation of India's Home Secretary outside the country and in the presence of its own Foreign Minister is unacceptable.

Ahead of the talks, Indian Home Secretary G K Pillai was quoted by an Indian newspaper as saying Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency orchestrated the Mumbai attacks. He said information had emerged from the interrogation of David Coleman Headley, an American who pleaded guilty in the US in March to being in on the planning of the attacks.

The Pakistani agency has previously denied any involvement in the Mumbai attacks.