By South Asia analyst Alastair Lawson

Among the first countries to condemn the hijacking was the Pakistani foreign minister, Abdul Sattar, who said that such targeting of civilians was abhorrent.

However Mr Sattar also suggested the hijacking might be a plot staged by Indian intelligence.

"The possibility can no longer be ignored that the incident involves a preconceived design by a foreign intelligence organisation," Mr Sattar said at a news conference in Islamabad.

But other countries have refused to back Pakistan's criticism of the way India has dealt with the crisis.

Instead the United States, Russia and China have all issued statements which deplore the hijacking.

'Inhuman'

An American National Security Council spokesman said the crisis should be resolved with the minimum bloodshed, and there was stronger criticism from State Department spokesman Philip Reeker on Monday. "We consider this terrorist act inhuman and we call for the immediate safe release of all hostages," he said.

Russia has said that it will give every assistance to India in its negotiations with the hijackers, while a statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Washington said that Beijing was firmly opposed to all forms of terrorist activity.

France, which has two passengers on board the aircraft, said on Tuesday that all those held hostage should be released without delay.

It described the hijackers as pirates.

Japan also has a passenger on board the aircraft. Likewise, it condemned the hijacking, and called on India to give priority to the safety of the passengers.

Both Japan and France, in common with several other countries, have sent delegations to Kandahar to monitor the negotiations with the hijackers.

That situation is also been watched closely by Iran, which on Monday offered to help India resolve the crisis.

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, said that his country was watching the hijacking with deep concern, and had been approached by India for help to bring it to an end.