Islamabad: Brushing aside US and Britain's tough message to Pakistan to strictly respect the line of control (LoC) and stop infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad has said world leaders should make an "objective" assessment of the issues affecting South Asia to help promote peace in the region.

"As an effective member of the international coalition against terrorism, Pakistan has done the most to combat terrorism and would continue to do so. Pakistan was also ensuring that no violation of LoC was being permitted," Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.

It was reacting to the joint statement issued by US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his British counterpart Jack Straw on March 27 asking Pakistan to "strictly respect" the LoC, stop infiltration and discourage acts of violence by militants in Jammu and Kashmir. The statement was issued after the killing 24 people in South Kashmir on March 24.

The Foreign Office statement on March 28 called for "sincere and objective positions" from world leaders on issues affecting South Asia to make a positive contribution for promoting peace and security in the region.

The Pakistani reaction came after US Ambassador Nancy Powel and British High Commissioner Hilary Synnott handed over the Powell-Straw statement to Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Muhammad Kasuri.

Foreign Secretary Riaz Kokhar in his meetings with the British and US Envoys on March 28 told them that Pakistan was not behind the Kashmir attack.

Pakistan was the first to condemn the killings, Kokhar and other senior officials of the Ministry told them, local daily 'Dawn' said quoting officials.

PTI