Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said "minor incidents" should not overshadow what he called Islamabad's positive contribution to combating terrorism.
"Pakistan's positive contributions should not be overlooked when minor incidents take place," Qureshi said when asked about US media reports that Islamabad was linked to a surge of violence across the border in Afghanistan.
"Pakistan has cooperated and will cooperate fully... When people point fingers at Pakistan, they must realise that Pakistan has apprehended 600 known terrorists," Qureshi said on sidelines of a South Asian meet in Colombo.
"Pakistan is a country which is cooperating with its partners and allies in the fight against extremism and terrorism."
He did not elaborate on the "minor incidents," but said Pakistan was ready to investigate any allegations.
His remarks came after Pakistan's military Wednesday rejected a "malicious" report that a top CIA official visiting this month confronted Islamabad over ties between the country's intelligence service and militants.
The New York Times said agency deputy director Stephen Kappes highlighted alleged ties between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and those responsible for the surge of violence across the border in Afghanistan.
Citing anonymous defence and intelligence sources, the Times said the meeting focused on supposed intelligence links with Taliban commander Jalauddin Haqqani, who is based in Pakistan's tribal areas.
It said that earlier this year the US military pressed for Pakistani troops to hit the Haqqani network.
The newspaper said the meeting could be a sign that the relationship between the Central Intelligence Agency and the ISI "may be deteriorating."
The report comes after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met with US President George W. Bush in Washington and urged him not to act "unilaterally" against militants in Pakistan's lawless tribal zones.
Pakistan's fledgling government caused concern in Washington by launching talks with militants soon after beating allies of US-backed President Pervez Musharraf in elections in February.
