Terror tensions run high as Pakistan president Zardari flies in

BRITAIN'S envoy in Pakistan was summoned before the country's Foreign Minister yesterday, as the row over David Cameron's criticism of the country's stance on terrorism rumbled on.

The UK's High Commissioner Adam Thomson met Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad for talks made all the more crucial by Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari's arrival in the UK today.

Mr Qureshi said it was wrong to put the "entire onus on any one country" in combating terrorism, after the Prime Minister warned that Pakistan was promoting the "export of terror."

The diplomatic spat is threatening to overshadow the visit to the UK of Mr Zardari.

A senior member of Pakistan's intelligence agency has already scrapped a visit to the UK, while protesters in the country have burned effigies of Mr Cameron during street demonstrations.

The Prime Minister remained defiant yesterday, with a Downing Street spokeswoman insisting that he "stands by" his comments, and would not be apologising.

Meanwhile, Britain's High Commissioner Mr Thomson was told that "Pakistan was itself a victim of terrorism" during his meeting with Mr Qureshi.

A statement from Pakistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs said that "the sentiments of the government and the people of Pakistan at the remarks made by the British Prime Minister" had been passed on to Mr Thomson.

It added: "The Foreign Minister emphasised that terrorism was a global issue and had to be dealt with by all countries in a spirit of cooperation, rather than putting the entire onus on any one country.

"He said Pakistan was itself a victim of terrorism and its efforts against violent extremism could not be negated.

"The British High Commissioner explained the context in which the remarks were made by the British Prime Minister adding that the UK was looking forward to further strengthening its strategic relations with Pakistan in the months and years ahead."

The ministry went on to say that talks between Mr Zardari and Mr Cameron at the official country residence of Chequers, on Friday, would provide a useful opportunity to discuss any differing views.

Following the talks, a statement from the UK Foreign Office said: "The High Commissioner and Foreign Minister Qureshi discussed a broad range of bilateral issues, including President Zardari's upcoming visit to the UK."

Meanwhile, Downing Street sought to defuse tensions ahead of the president's visit.

Stressing that he had not been referring to country's political leadership, a spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said the UK had "very good, strong relations" with Pakistan.

She also played down the burning of an effigy of Mr Cameron in Karachi. The spokeswoman said: "Clearly people have a right to protest."

During a trip to Pakistan's bitter regional rival India last week, Mr Cameron said: "We should be very, clear with Pakistan that we want to see a strong, stable and democratic Pakistan.

"We cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country is allowed to look both ways and is able, in any way, to promote the export of terror, whether to India or whether to Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world."

Mr Zardari's visit to the UK comes after he held talks with French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, during which he said France saw Pakistan as a "reliable partner in the world".

Speaking at the Elysee Palace, Mr Zardari said President Sarkozy would visit Pakistan later this year.

One of the nation's richest men with a 1.1bn fortune

Asif Ali Zardari, the controversial widower of Benazir Bhutto, became the 11th President of Pakistan following the resignation of Pervez Musharraf in 2008.

Ms Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) nominated him to run in a general election just four days before the fall of Mr Musharraf, who had been a key ally in the West's War on Terror, but at home had become embroiled in a row over the sacking of some senior judges,

Mr Zardari is among the richest men in Pakistan with an estimated fortune worth the equivalent of 1.1 billion.

However, he has spent more time in prison than any other Pakistani politician, and was nicknamed "Mr Ten Per Cent" because of unproven allegations that he received kickbacks when his wife was Prime Minister.

She was elected to that position in 1988, a year after the two had married, and he then became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

He served as investment and environment minister in Ms Bhutto's governments.

But after his wife's government lost power at the 1990 elections, Mr Zardari came under investigation in Switzerland over alleged receipts of payments from two Swiss-based companies.

He claimed the charges were political in nature, and in 2008 Switzerland closed the case and released Mr Zardari's frozen assets.

From 1997 to 2004, Mr Zardari was kept in jail on various corruption charges and accusations of murder, but was later cleared.

Mr Zardari met Barack Obama and Hamid Karzai at the White House, in May 2009, to discuss Pakistan's future role in the War on Terror.

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