India summons Pak envoy over infiltration

India yesterday summoned Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi to protest against what it said was the continued infiltration of militants from across the border.

The Foreign Ministry said an arrested Pakistani national Bahadur Ali had confessed that he was "infiltrated into India" after being trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group.

"The government of India strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"This is contrary to assurances given by the Pakistani leaders at the highest level."

India's protest comes days after its Home Minister Rajnath Singh called for isolation of countries deemed to be supporting "terrorism" during a speech at a regional conference in Islamabad.

Yesterday, the Indian foreign secretary met Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and issued a statement that India's Foreign Ministry spokesman described as a "strong demarche".

Indo-Pak ties have been strained further in recent weeks by a flare-up in violent protests in Kashmir.

India accuses Pakistan of training and arming militants in the portion it controls and sending them to the Indian side, a claim its neighbour denies.