ISLAMABAD, March 2: Pakistan on Wednesday made a demarche to British High Commissioner Mark Lyall Grant for his reported criticism of the military's growing business interests, it is learnt.

The British high commissioner, who was summoned by the foreign office to explain his remarks, met Additional Secretary Europe Athar Mehmood on Wednesday afternoon around 3pm, informed sources said.

Apparently, when an explanation was sought from the high commissioner, his contention was that he had been 'quoted out of context'. Though the high commissioner's reported remarks created quite a stir in the government circles, particularly in the military bureaucracy, the foreign ministry tried to keep it under wraps.

In a statement issued by the foreign office later in the day an attempt was made to downplay the issue. In fact, the measured foreign ministry response in part questioned the accuracy of the reported remarks that were carried by several leading dailies on Wednesday.

The statement quoting an unnamed 'senior official' of the foreign ministry said: "The remarks made by the British High Commissioner Mr Mark Lyall Grant while launching the Country Assistance Programme for Pakistan on 1st March 2005, if correctly reported, were unwarranted and inaccurate besides being an infringement of diplomatic norms."

The official asserted that in Pakistan democracy had been fully restored and issues like poverty alleviation, education, health and social developments etc., were top priorities of the government.

"These issues are being tackled by the established institutions of the government and not by the military," the official said, adding that Pakistan was committed to Millennium Development Goals in letter and in spirit.