Pakistan on Friday rejected unsubstantiated Indian allegations regarding Mumbai bomb blasts and called for the peace process between the two South Asian neighbours to continue. "Terrorism is a phenomenon which effects almost every country of the world. Surely this afflicts all the countries of the South Asia," Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.
"There has been terrorist attack in Karachi today in which a leading religious scholar was killed," she added. She made these comments while reacting to the statement by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.
Manmohan warned that the peace process with Pakistan could be hit by the Mumbai train bombings and alleged the attackers had support "from across the border".
Manmohan, on his first visit to Mumbai since the blasts that killed 179 and injured nearly 800, warned the peace process would struggle to advance unless Pakistan cracked down on militants operating from its soil.
"The terrorists (responsible for the blasts) were supported by elements across the border without which they cannot hit with such an effect," he said.
"I explained to the government of Pakistan ... that if such acts of terrorism are not controlled, it is exceedingly difficult for any government to carry forward what may be called the normalisation of relations and the peace process," the Indian Prime Minister said. Tasnim Aslam said that Pakistan has already rejected unsubstantiated Indian allegations.
"Mumbai blasts were barbaric act of terrorism which Pakistan has strongly and unequivocally condemned, including at the highest level," she added.
Tasnim said the President has also reaffirmed the offer to help India with the investigation, if required, on the basis of specific information.
The spokesperson further stated that the peace process between Pakistan and India "is a separate matter."
"It (peace process) is in the interest of both Pakistan and India as well as the region. That is why, we believe that this process must be continued and carried forward," she added.
The spokesperson said reports that Indian police are tracing telephone calls to Pakistan and Bangladesh following the Mumbai train bombings were "frivolous".
"These reports or charges are simply frivolous," Tasnim Aslam told AFP.
The Times of India reported on Friday that a telephone call traced by intelligence services from Karachi to Dhaka said "congratulations".
Another caller contacted his mother in Karachi from a public call office saying he was fine but could not disclose his location - and swiftly hung up, the newspaper said. A senior police official in Karachi said they were ready to look into the telephone calls if necessary.
"If someone has contacted his mother in Karachi from Mumbai after the bomb blasts saying he is fine, it's nothing but natural. If there is anything else we are ready to help," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.