ISLAMABAD: The war of words between India and Pakistan continues with President Pervez Musharraf warning that "hot pursuit" in Pakistan would be "paid back in the same coin".

The President, on a visit to Karachi, reiterated his offer of co-operation in the Mumbai blasts probe but warned against any "punitive action" by India.

India last week rejected his offer and instead demanded that Pakistan hand over Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.

"Nobody should have this wishful thinking that Pakistan will bear any kind of adventure inside its territory. There is no one who can take any punitive action against Pakistan as the country's defence is in strong hands," General Musharraf said.

On Monday, the Foreign Ministry warned that hot pursuit could trigger a "nuclear war".

The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said "nobody should make this mistake that Pakistan would allow hot pursuit inside its territory or in Azad Kashmir."

She said it was a "highly irresponsible" idea. "Do they want a nuclear war in this region, a holocaust?"

Media reports

The Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement was a reaction to reports in Pakistani media quoting "Indian media reports" that New Delhi was considering hot pursuit of alleged terrorists and terrorism infrastructure in Pakistan.

Indian newspapers, more than 10 days ago, reported Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar as having said that his party recommended hot pursuit.

A day later Indian newspapers also reported senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh ruling it out as an option for India. Neither any Indian official or ruling party functionary has been reported as saying anything about this.

SAARC meet

The high decibel verbal duel comes ahead of a possible meeting between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan at Dhaka where the SAARC Foreign Secretaries will meet next week, ahead of the meeting of SAARC Foreign Ministers.

They were due to meet on July 21 for a review of the completed third round of the composite dialogue process, but India postponed the meeting in the wake of the Mumbai blasts. Pakistan has said no formal meeting of the two foreign secretaries is scheduled at Dhaka, but if both were present, it was natural they will interact. Indian officials have indicated that the Government is yet to take a final view on whether to offer to pick up the threads of the composite dialogue process, when the two officials meet in Dhaka.

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