Indian FM denies call to Zardari

India's foreign minister denied yesterday that he had phoned Pakistan's president at the height of the Mumbai terrorist siege, prompting its air force to go on high alert, but Pakistani officials insisted he - or someone else in his ministry - had placed the call.

The back-and-forth over the call underscores the dangers of the poor communication and deep mistrust between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars.

Pakistani Information Minister Sherry Rehman said President Asif Ali Zardari received a "threatening" call during the crisis that definitely came from India's External Affairs Ministry.