Pakistan has expressed irritation at remarks on Kashmir by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Britain's silence over media reports that its high commission in London was bugged by MI5.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistan had taken exception to remarks made by Blair when he spoke about Kashmir during a joint news conference with US President George W. Bush in London last week.
Blair told the news conference the activities of terrorists and fanatics made matters worse in places like Kashmir, Palestine and Chechnya.
"I think these remarks are imprudent, ill-advised because he has referred to Kashmir in the context of terrorism," Khan told a news conference. "This has caused palpable anger in Pakistan and in Kashmir and Kashmiri diaspora all over the world."
Pakistan, which has fought two of its three wars with India over Kashmir, is accused by New Delhi of arming, training and infiltrating Islamic militants fighting to end Indian rule in the Himalayan territory. Islamabad denies this but argues the militants are fighting a legitimate struggle for freedom.
Khan said Islamabad was also waiting for a response from Britain as to whether MI5 had attempted to place bugging devices at Pakistan's high commission in London, as reported by the UK media this month.
"Our inter-agency teams are conducting the investigations in London and they haven't come to conclusions yet," Khan said. "But as far as the British government is concerned, we have received no response to our demarches so far and we think silence and reticence is not good enough.
"I think it is high time that the British government came clean on this issue, because this is not an issue which can be swept under the carpet."
Some newspapers said the bugging bid was made last year during renovation of the high commission building, even though Britain and Pakistan are close allies in U.S.-led war on terror.
Despite his remarks, Khan denied ties with London were strained.
"Relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom are good and friendly and close...There is no question mark on the relationship between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. However, the bugging question is an irritant," he said.