India today hit back at Pakistan for its statement on the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, saying Jammu and Kashmir is an internal issue and its "gratuitous references" are unacceptable.

"Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter of India.

Pakistan's gratuitous references to Jammu and Kashmir are unacceptable," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

He was reacting to his Pakistani Foreign Office counterpart Muhammad Nafees Zakaria's statement that "the Kashmiri people have never accepted the unfair trial of Afzal Guru".

Zakaria had said at a weekly briefing today that "Pakistan has repeatedly voiced concerns and condemned the incidents in which the Kashmiris of valley were subjected to 'atrocities'".

He said that Pakistan has adequately and appropriately raised the Kashmir dispute at all the international forums.(Agencies)