Pakistan summoned Britain's envoy in Islamabad Monday over comments by British Prime Minister David Cameron suggesting it was not doing enough to fight terrorism, officials said. Adam Thomson, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to clarify remarks Cameron made during a visit to India last week, a Pakistani official said. Cameron, speaking last Wednesday in India, Pakistan's arch rival, told Islamabad it must not become a base for militants and “promote the export of terror” across the globe. Cameron's spokeswoman said Monday the prime minister stands by his comments. “He stands by his remarks,” said the spokeswoman, while stressing that the British premier had not been referring to the Pakistani government itself supporting terrorism. “He was referring to elements within Pakistan supporting terrorism, not the Pakistani government,” she said. The spokeswoman insisted that there were “very good, strong” links between Britain and Pakistan on many levels, adding: “We want to continue to work very closely with Pakistan in the future.” She also said Cameron had acknowledged that Pakistan was “taking action against extremism.” Asked how Cameron felt about effigies of him being burnt in the street by protesters in Pakistan, she added: “Clearly people have a right to protest but as I say we have very good, strong relations with Pakistan. “They face many challenges and we want to work with them”. Pakistan's envoy to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, said he had personally dissuaded Britons of Pakistani descent from demonstrating against Cameron's remarks before Zardari's visit. The Pakistani leader is due to travel to London from Paris, where he arrived on Sunday for talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy on security and economic issues as part of a three-day visit. Meanwhile, British national security adviser has confirmed he's stepping down, less than three months after taking up the newly created role. Peter Ricketts, previously the country's top diplomat, was appointed by Cameron's new government to lead the government's security work and set up a new national security council. Britain's government said the departure of Ricketts was not connected with Cameron's Pakistan remarks.
