Sam Coates, Chief Political Correspondent, and Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent, in Islamabad
Win VIP tickets
Gordon Brown demanded "action, not words" from Pakistan yesterday, blaming Pakistani militants for last month's attack on Mumbai and revealing that three quarters of the gravest terror plots under investigation in the UK had links to Pakistan.
Winding up a two-day tour of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, the Prime Minister urged Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's President, to "break the chain of terror" linking Islamist militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan to attempted terrorist attacks in Britain.
British military officials believe there are a "handful" of British militants fighting alongside the Taleban in Afghanistan, often entering the country through northern Pakistan, where al Qaeda and Taleban leaders are thought to be sheltering.
Officials also believe that there are currently around 30 major terrorist plots in the United Kingdom with 2,000 suspects being watched by police and the intelligence services.
"Three quarters of the most serious plots investigated by the British authorities have links to al-Qaeda in Pakistan," said Mr Brown in a press conference alongside Mr Zardari in the presidential palace in Islamabad. "The time has come for action, not words."
Speaking just a few hours after meeting Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, in Delhi, Mr Brown also formally declared for the first time that Britain backs India's assertion that Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant group with links to Pakistan's military-run spy agency, carried out the Mumbai attack.
His remarks were clearly designed to heap pressure on Pakistan's civilian government to do more to crack down on militant groups in the wake of the Mumbai strike, which killed at least 170 people, including three British citizens.
The whirlwind trip was part of an international diplomatic effort, led by the United States, to prevent the Mumbai attacks from sparking a fourth war between India and Pakistan, which both have nuclear weapons.
Tensions between the two countries escalated briefly but dramatically on Saturday night when Pakistan accused Indian fighter jets of violating its airspace, causing delays on Mr Brown's flight from Kabul to Delhi. India denied any transgression.
At their meeting in Delhi yesterday morning, Mr Singh presented Mr Brown with a private list of "confidence building measures" that India wants Pakistan to agree to in order to stabilise relations.
Mr Brown also secured permission for British police to interview the only surviving militant from the Mumbai attack to investigate whether he has British connections.
Mr Singh gave the go-ahead for police and intelligence officials to speak to Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, who has been undergoing "sustained interrogation" in a Mumbai jail since being captured on the first day of the attack.
Win a luxury weekend to Newcastle and its neighbour Gateshead, find out more here
Risk, resilience and embracing new technology
Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast
Discover the power of collective thinking. Submit a solution and be in with a chance to win a Media Hub Home Entertainment System
The inside track on current trends in the charity, not for profit and social enterprise sectors
Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip
Make the most of the summer and enter our fabulous photographic competition, you could win a £5000 holiday
Corsica is an island of beauty and contrast, an ideal holiday destination
Enjoy further reading from Travel to Fashion, Business to Sport, discover more
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles
The clever way to lease a new car is with Car leasing made simple™
2009
per month on 36-month
Personal Contract Hire (PCH)
2008
42850
Car Insurance
£23,093 - £56,211
The Office for National Statistics
Newport, South Wales
£60,000
The Environment Agency
Bristol
Up to £90K
Boots
Midlands
OTE £85k
Credit Protection Association
Nationwide Opportunities
Completely London
Luxury Condo's in Manhattan with NYC views
The best new homes in Wimbledon?
Nationwide
Fabulous Cruise And Cruise & Stay Offers Including Virgin Atlantic Flights Prices Start From Only £699pp!
Last Minute Cruise And Cruise & Stay Offers. Med From £499pp, Caribbean From £699pp!
5 star quality at a 3 star price.
8 fabulous Canadian cities ...you won’t find cheaper
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times, or place your advertisement.
Times Online Services: Dating | Jobs | Property Search | Used Cars | Holidays | Births, Marriages, Deaths | Subscriptions | E-paper
News International associated websites: Globrix Property Search | Property Finder | Milkround
Copyright 2009 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.
Remember it was the left that let the Trojan horse in!
John, Salford/Eccles, England
Why is it everytime Gordon Brown goes abroad he takes the UK PLC cheque book with him even though we're the ones paying for it!
John, Salford/Eccles, England
The tribal areas are only part of Pakistan because UK nicked them off Afghanistan in the 19th century. Their population are mostly Pathan (Afghan). Pakistan should hand the lot back to Afghanistan so there'll be no problem dealing with it any more. Pakistan will be a lot better off that way as well.
Gerard Mulholland, Paris, France
Well said Tom. Let them "fight it out" amongst themselves. we should secure our own borders. Anyone found to have links with terrorism should be deported to their country of origin or their country of alegiance.
Hamad Lone, London, England
Tom in Madrid: 100% correct but it will take a BNP government to carry out such a sensible suggestion and I fear that too many of the British electrate are too brainwashed against the BNP to even consider voting for them although they are now making great gains.
B J Deller., Marbella, Spain
Our tax for Brown swanning around the World for Election photo opportunities which the Labour Party hasn't the cash to support.
So when is the Election? April? May? June?
Pathetic.
Damian, Brighton,
Totally agree with Tom in Madrid Spain.
Martin Thomas, Liverpool, UK
No offence, but its the British who created this Kashmir problem the root cause of all trouble in S.E Asia. 3 war have been fought so far. The current situation in Pakistan began after the 1979 Soviet Invasion. Don't take sides do what is right, stop blaming us fix the problems you created in past.
Hope, Atlanta, USA
Get out of the region and bolt the door behind you. That means restricted travel to and from Pakistan and no guaranteed return for UK citizens that travel there.
Let the Afghans and the Pakistanis sort out their own mess.
Brown's message: here's 6m, please don't kill us. Pathetic.
Tom, Madrid, Spain
Brown in Churchilian mode.Posed on a hilltop sans flack jacket.Not signs of weapon pits facing out behind him.First PM to visit front line since Churchil.27 attacks on this hilltop this year.When was the last one.?Does he and his aides really think the public are that gullible.Probably,yes.
R.Hart, sutton coldfield, uk
We pakistanis feel betrayed by International community!
After almost a decade of being Front running state waging war on terrorists(created by US),paying dearly for it!US nd UK still want to please India and ignore Pakistan's sacrifices and kashmiri ppl 's pain!
fatima, karachi, Pakistan
hmm not exactly the sort of thing to laugh about Gordon
peter c, Devizes, Wessex
So Mr Brown " ... offers £6m in anti-terror aid ..." to Pakistan after making an unfounded and unreal accusation and is pictured with an inane grin on his face. Oh Dear!
For all the good it will do, he might as well give the £5 million to me. I need it more!
David Michael, London, UK
doesnt brown know that there is a credit crunch in England where he is our unelected prime minister He has promised millions in aid to afghanstan and now he is promising pakistan a further 6 million. what is he thinking about Is he trying to save the world as he said in the commons.
shirley, goole, england
Pakistani officials say, "they must tread carefully to prevent a backlash from the Pakistani public or from the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency." This is the crux of the problem with having Pakistan as a partner. They can not be trusted. Too many Pakistanis support the militants.
Tony Volpe, Newcastle, UK
Britain and America started these divisive tactics and is supporting it since the colonial times.
There is this thing called Karma and the age old human wisdom of India says a lot about it. Even though not as entrenched, the western analog of "Reap what you sow" holds mettle always.
peteris, Dudley, UK
Another weekend and another load of foriegn affairs spin to divert people's attention form all the bad domestic news. This time they've gone for the old failsafe of "terrorist plots everywhere!" smokescreen.
SRN, London,
And do you really think Pakistan will use the £6 million to stop terrorism when they haven't done dash-all so far. This money could be better spent here in the UK.
Mike, Inverness, Scotland
It is very unfortunate and tragic what is happening .
When we all should be happy enjoying life , most of our energies/monies are being diverted to these issues.
There seems to be no end in sight , mainly because
the root cause -Independence for Kashmir is not being addressed.
Christopher, Mumbai, India
If all else fails play the terror card. I'm not falling for it, the biggest threats to our future are the new labour policies that will leave us with a generation of debt. That includes spending on unnecessary wars.
Phil, Welwyn, UK