Islamabad: Pakistan today (March 22, 2004) described India's reaction over United States' decision to notify it as a non-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) US military ally as "misplaced", even as it denied allegations of US Ambassador to Afghanistan that Taliban and al-Qaeda fugitives were launching attacks from its soil.

Responding to a question about India's reaction to US decision, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan described it as "misplaced".

Khan, while talking to reporters at a briefing, said that if the US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had any specific information or intelligence he should have shared with "us" instead of making insinuation in the media.

"We hope that Mr Khalilzad while serving as US Ambassador in Kabul will remember third country principal and maintain his impartiality," Khan said.

In an interview carried by 'Daily Times' newspaper today, Khalilzad had said that senior Taliban are plotting attacks on Afghan and US targets from safe havens in Pakistan.

Khan also said Pakistan, after being notified as a non-NATO US military ally, would benefit from military sales, training and in-research and development programmes.

After September 11, relations between Pakistan and US have strengthened in all areas, including economic and commercial dimensions and political co-ordination, he added.

The two countries want to create a new infrastructure of roads to make Pakistan a hub of economic and commercial activities, Khan stated.

On the so-called referendum in Taiwan, Khan said Pakistan is firmly committed to One China policy.