NEW DELHI: Any solution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue would be within the parameters of the Constitution, a top government official said on condition of anonymity on Friday. There were limits to what an elected government could do, he maintained.

India had been stressing that even while it stuck to the framework of the Constitution, space existed to take a flexible approach. However, if Pakistan looked at Kashmir as an issue of sovereignty/territory, then it would amount to a zero-sum game. Something could be done if a people-centric approach was adopted.

New Delhi would be quite happy to "demilitarise" Kashmir tomorrow if the levels of violence came down, the official said, stressing that demilitarisation was in India's own interest. The official was speaking ahead of Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's departure for Islamabad to kick-off the fourth round of the composite dialogue on March 13-14. Jammu & Kashmir and peace and security, including confidence-building measures, will be on his agenda.

During the briefing, the official said India and Pakistan were able to sort out the contentious issue of the places where their diplomats could go without seeking prior permission. While Indian diplomats could now touch Taxila and Punja Sahib, Pakistani diplomats could visit Gurgaon and Noida.

India was basically satisfied with the progress made in the three rounds of the composite dialogue. A revised shipping services protocol, an accord on nuclear risk reduction and a hotline between the coast guards of the countries had been put in place.

Mr. Menon and his Pakistani counterpart, Riaz Muhammad Khan, would review the "entire terrain" of the peace process.

Making it clear that India would continue to pressure Pakistan to do more to tackle terrorist groups operating from its soil, the official said specific information on the July 2006 Mumbai train blasts had been shared with Islamabad.

New Delhi has indicated it is upset at the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the parent body of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, being given permission to open camps for those affected by the February 19 Samjhauta Express firebombing.

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