Indian citizens told travel to Pakistan is unsafe

By Bappa Majumdar and Kamran Haider

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - India warned its citizens on Friday it was unsafe to travel to Pakistan after the prime minister met military chiefs, and Pakistan cancelled army leave and moved some troops from its western border.

The warning marked a dramatic rise in tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours after last month's attack on Mumbai, in which 179 people were killed and which India has blamed on Islamist militants based in Pakistan.

It followed media reports in Pakistan and India that "several" Indian nationals had been arrested in the last two days after bombings in the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Multan.

"Indian citizens are therefore advised that it would be unsafe for them to travel (to) or be in Pakistan," India's Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement.

Another Foreign Ministry official contacted by Reuters said the warning referred to all travel to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office earlier said Singh had discussed tension with Pakistan during a scheduled meeting about military pay with the chiefs of the army, navy and air force.

"The prime minister met the tri-services chiefs to discuss the pay commission issues but obviously the situation in the region was also discussed," said an official from Singh's office, who asked not to be identified. There were no other details.

Indian media said national security adviser M.K. Narayanan also attended the meeting.