Pakistan says Manmohan's remark 'unacceptable'

ISLAMABAD: Apparently irked by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's blunt message to President Asif Ali Zardari in front of media that Pakistan should not allow its soil for terrorism against India, Islamabad said his remarks were "unacceptable".

In a statement made in the Senate or Upper House of Parliament, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Amad Khan said Singh's comments made during his meeting with Zardari in Russia were unacceptable to Islamabad.

During the meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Russia, Singh told Zardari: "I am extremely happy to meet you, but my mandate is limited to telling you that the territory of Pakistan must not be allowed to be used for terrorism against India.

Khan said that Zardari too raised Pakistan's concerns regarding "Indian interference" in the country's internal affairs and forcefully presented Islamabad's point of view on issues of concerns with New Delhi during the meeting.

Opposition PML-Q Senator Jamal Leghari raised a point of order on Singh's remark and said it should be condemned by the house.

However, Khan told reporters that Pakistan was hopeful there would be follow up ministerial-level meetings between the two countries in the wake of the meeting between Zardari and Singh.

There were possibilities for resumption of bilateral talks after the Indian elections and the meeting between the two leaders was a step forward, he said.