“We find it appalling that Foreign Minister Kasuri should seek to link this blatant and inhuman act of terror against men, women and children to the so-called lack of resolution of disputes between India and Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told a news conference.

At least 183 people died and more than 700 were wounded when seven coordinated blasts ripped through commuter trains and stations in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, on Tuesday.

“These remarks seem to suggest that Pakistan will cooperate with India against the scourge of cross-border terrorism and terrorist violence only if the so-called disputes are resolved. Terrorism cannot be tolerated on any ground,” Sarna said.

“We would urge Pakistan to take urgent steps to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on the territory under its control,” he said.

In an interview with Reuters in Washington, Kasuri said the ”absolutely horrendous” attacks in Mumbai showed that Pakistan and India needed to resolve disputes that can be exploited by extremists.

“I think the Mumbai incident -- however tragic it may be and it is undoubtedly very tragic -- underlines the need for the two countries to work together to control this environment, but they can only do so if they resolve their disputes,” he said.

India and Pakistan -- nuclear-armed neighbours that have fought three wars since 1948 -- began their latest attempt to forge peace in 2004.

Top of the list is to try and resolve a historical dispute over Kashmir, where more than 45,000 people have been killed in an Islamic revolt since 1989.