Pakistan warns US to 'end blame game' on terrorism

Pakistan's political and military leadership closed ranks on Thursday, shrugging off intense American pressure to do more to combat militant groups and accusing the United States of using the country as a scapegoat for Nato failures in Afghanistan.

Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, held crisis talks with opposition leaders and military officers to formulate a response to American accusations that its security services were working hand in hand with the deadly Haqqani network.

Hours earlier, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, repeated her threat to declare the Haqqani network a terrorist organisation, which would almost certainly see economic sanctions imposed on Islamabad.

Mr Gilani said he would not give in to threats and called for an end to the "blame game".

"Pakistan cannot be pressured to do more, but the doors are still open from our side for talks and discussion," he said. "We reject these allegations. God willing, we can face these challenges with unity. We are committed to defend our independence and sovereignty."

The rare all-party meeting reflects the enormity of a dispute triggered when Haqqani gunmen attacked the US embassy in Kabul on September 13, an assault which American officials later said was directed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

Last week, Admiral Mike Mullen, America's most senior military officer, accused Pakistan of "exporting violence" and described the Haqqani Network as a "veritable arm" of the ISI.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the head of the ISI, was due to brief the conference on Thursday night along with Hina Rabbani Khar, the foreign minister, who has just returned from talks in the US. The stakes could not be higher. The two countries have been close allies since the September 11 attacks, sharing intelligence about terrorist haunts in Pakistan's mountainous tribal region and threats to the US.

Washington needs Pakistan to shore up its flimsy gains in Afghanistan and relies on the port of Karachi for supplying troops in Afghanistan.

Pakistani leaders still fear the US may back its rhetoric with military action, dispatching special forces to root out terrorist leaders or sending bombers in place of unmanned drones.

Anger is growing in the US Congress at the apparent unwillingness of Pakistan to take action. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has supported expanding military action into Pakistan in order to protect American troops in Afghanistan.

The latest row comes after months of worsening relations, and sparked widespread anger across Pakistan and a series of street demonstrations.

The Sunni Ittehad Council, which represents the country's Barelvi sect, often referred to as the most moderate among Pakistani Muslims, issued a statement urging all Muslims to wage jihad against the US if it attacked Pakistan.

"The Pakistani government and the armed forces should start preparing to counter any possible American attack as Islamic law suggests 'keeping the horses ready' to counter any sort of foreign aggression," the statement said.