Relations between India and Pakistan have been described as "extremely bad" following the tit-for-tat expulsions of each others' top-ranking diplomats.

Pakistan ordered India's acting high commissioner and four others to leave after Delhi expelled Pakistan's top envoy.

India accuses him of channelling money to separatists in Kashmir - a charge he denies.

Pakistan says the Indian Government is increasing tension for domestic political purposes in order to win support in forthcoming elections.

India accuses Pakistan of stoking unrest in Kashmir

Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan said relations between the two nations could not be worse.

"The state of relations is extremely bad," he said. "It is bad because of the actions that India has been taking, and it appears that they are interested that this atmosphere remains vitiated."

Instant response

Mr Khan accused the Indian BJP Government of using anti-Pakistan feeling to win support in the state elections in Gujarat last year and employing the tactic again for upcoming elections in other states.

This is the first time in more than 30 years that such high-ranking diplomats have been ordered to leave Zaffar Abbas

At the heart of the latest row is the long-running dispute over Kashmir which has resulted in wars between the two regional powers.

The recent flare-up started when India accused Pakistan's acting High Commissioner, Jalil Abbas Jilani, of passing thousands of dollars to Kashmiri separatist activists and decided to expel him.

Pakistan responded by ordering the expulsion of five Indian diplomats.

Slide in relations

Our correspondent in Islamabad, Zaffar Abbas, says Pakistan's response was expected but marks a serious deterioration in their relations.

"Although expulsions of embassy officials is a routine affair between India and Pakistan, this is the first time in more than 30 years that such high-ranking diplomats have been ordered to leave," he said.

Mr Jilani denies the charges. He has been in the post since Delhi ordered the last Pakistani high commissioner out following a December 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.

"I can tell you that this is yet another crude attempt to harass and intimidate the Pakistan high commission officials," he said in response to the funding allegations.

He said there was "absolutely no precedent" in relations between Delhi and Islamabad for "implicating the senior diplomats of the two countries in such fabricated charges".

In Islamabad, the Pakistani foreign ministry summoned India's Charge d'Affaires, Sudhir Vyas, to protest against the "ridiculous and baseless" allegations made against Mr Jilani.

Arrests

But India's foreign affairs spokesman said that the Pakistani diplomat had been "found indulging in activities incompatible with his official status".

"His withdrawal from India is sought within the next 48 hours," he said.

On Thursday, Indian police arrested two activists from the separatist organisation Hurriyat, Anjum Jamrud Habib and Shabbir Dar, on charges of financing militants and said they had received funding from the Pakistani high commission.

Both India and Pakistan recently produced nuclear weapons and nearly went to war again after the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.