India 'arrogant', Pakistani President says

The Pakistani President has accused India of acting rashly and arrogantly but says he will not retaliate after New Delhi announced the recall of its ambassador from Pakistan.

India says it is recalling its ambassador and terminating rail and bus links with Pakistan following a December 13 suicide attack on the Indian parliament.

New Delhi blamed Islamabad. Musharraf's government has denied responsibility and condemned the attack.

"We regret the very arrogant and knee-jerk response of the Indian government," General Pervez Musharraf said during his visit to China.

Musharraf replied "No" when reporters asked if Pakistan would retaliate. He did not answer further questions.

Pakistan and India, nuclear-armed neighbours who have fought three wars since 1947, placed their armies on alert and sent troop and weapons reinforcements to their borders after the attack that killed 14 people, including five alleged terrorists.

On Friday, US President George Bush urged Musharraf to act against one of two Islamic militant organisations accused by India of carrying out the attack. Bush added the group, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, to a US list of organisations accused of sponsoring terrorism.

Musharraf did not comment on Bush's appeal. But after praying at the Great Mosque in the Muslim quarter of Xi'an, the Pakistani leader said: "Islam is a religion of peace and we don't believe in any violence."

"You are a hero of world peace, and you are hero to the friendship between China and Pakistan," the mosque's imam, Haji Mohammad You Nusi Maliangji, said to Musharraf.

"I'm honoured," Musharraf replied.