General Musharraf, who is also army chief, told the military commanders that defences had made the country "impregnable", an official statement released by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.

The formation commanders meeting was held in the wake of the US-led invasion of Iraq and threats of pre-emptive strikes by India amid growing tensions between the rival nuclear neighbours.

Musharraf briefed the participants about "the prevailing geo-strategic environment and particularly with reference to its effects on Pakistan and how Pakistan handled each challenge," APP said without elaborating.

The news agency quoted him as saying that "due to the unswerving faith of the armed forces in Allah (God), their devotion to duty and professionalism the defences of the country were impregnable.

"Defence of the motherland is the foremost duty of the armed forces and Insha Allah (God willing) we will always come up to the expectations of the nation."

Tensions escalated after last month's massacre of 24 Hindus in the Indian controlled zone of Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on militants from Pakistan.

Pakistan says there is no cross-border infiltration from the Pakistani side of the disputed state. Claimed by both, Kashnir has caused two of the three wars between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947.

The nuclear rivals came to the brink of a fourth war last year after both massed more than a million troops on their borders, following a militant attack on the parliament building in New Delhi in December 2001 that left 15 people dead.

The 10-month stand-off ended in October when India announced a phased withdrawal of its troops and Pakistan responded by withdrawing troops from the frontlines.

Musharraf "congratulated" military commanders for their efforts, which "compelled the adversary to withdraw its troops from international borders without achieving any of their aims," the news agency said.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri who also attended the meeting told the commanders that Pakistan's stature in the international community had improved due to its support of the fight against terrorism.

"Pakistan harbours no ambitions to attain regional or global power status," he reportedly said.

"India seemed to be disconcerted at Pakistan's prominence and wants to exploit the situation arising out of the Iraq war and undermine the indigenous Kashmiri struggle for their right of self determination," he added.

The minister said that Pakistan had already warned India of "grave consequence if it tried any misadventure".

The meeting will continue on Tuesday.

SPACE.WIRE