Pak fumes over UK's call for more action against Al-Qaeda

Pakistan has reacted strongly to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's call for it to take tougher action against Al- Qaeda and find Osama bin Laden, saying no one should doubt its efforts in the war against terrorism.

Pakistan has reacted strongly to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's call for it to take tougher action against Al- Qaeda and find Osama bin Laden, saying no one should doubt its efforts in the war against terrorism.

"Pakistan has played its role in fighting Al-Qaeda and other terrorists. Over the past eight years, we have captured or killed 700 al Qaida operatives. No one should have doubts about our efforts," said Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit.

Basit said Pakistan was surprised by Brown's call to do more in the campaign against Al-Qaeda.

He said the world community has appreciated Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror.

"Osama bin Laden's whereabouts are not known to anyone. If anyone knows (where he is), it would be better if the information is shared with Pakistan instead of the matter being discussed in the media," he said.

Pakistan will act promptly if such information is shared with it, he said.

Ahead of a visit to Britain by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani later this week, Brown told the BBC that Pakistan must do more to "break" al Qaida and find Osama bin Laden.

Brown said he wanted to see "more progress in taking out" bin Laden and Zawahiri.

Pakistan has to "join us in the major effort that the world is committing resources to, and that is not only to isolate al Qaida but to break them in Pakistan", he said.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will meet Gordon Brown on Thursday.

Brown informed Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari by phone on Sunday that he intends to speak out about the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

Brown said that over eight years "we should have been able to do more to get to the bottom of where Al-Qaeda is operating from".