Pakistan has rejected the latest allegations by India of its involvement in the hijacking of an Indian airliner last month.

A foreign office statement said the Indian claims were unfounded and not based on a shred of evidence.

Yesterday, India formally requested the arrest and extradition of the hijackers from Pakistan.

Islamabad has said that if the gunmen were found in Pakistan, they would be arrested.

The hijack, which lasted a week, ended in Afghanistan when India released three Kashmiri militants in exchange for all those on board the plane.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service