Islamabad, Dec 6 : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has reportedly warned the Pakistan Government that if it does act quickly on the issue of last week''s terror attacks in Mumbai, the United States will not hesitate to step in to do the needful.

Contrary to the formal statements issued by Pakistani authorities and her own statement at the Chaklala Air Force base before her departure, sources said she "pushed the Pakistani leaders to take care of perpetrators, otherwise the US will act".

New Delhi, Dec 6: European Union has urged Pakistan to extend its cooperation to India in the investigation on Mumbai attacks.

Talking to the media here last evening, Gerard Araud, Director General of Political Affairs in the French Foreign Ministry, said that global society supports India, which is a victim of terrorist activities.

"What I have expressed on behalf of European Union is our full support to the Indian authorities in this crisis. We expect and we have said that Pakistan cooperate fully with this investigation. We consider it very important," said Araud, who was here to take part in the India-EU Security Dialogue.

Islamabad, Dec. 6 : Pakistan went into a state of ‘high alert’ last weekend after President Asif Ali Zardari received a threatening phone call made by someone who said he was Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Several political, diplomatic and security sources have confirmed to the Dawn that for nearly 24 hours last weekend, the incident continued to send jitters across the world. To some world leaders the probability of an accidental war appeared very high.

KOHAT, Pakistan, Dec. 5  -- A car bomb killed at least 20 people Friday at a police checkpoint in northern Pakistan, police said.

At least 80 people were injured, the Pak Tribune reported.

As much as 50 pounds of explosives detonated, Police Inspector Gen. Naveed Khan told Geo News. He said the crater left by the blast suggests that it was not a suicide attack.

An intelligence official said it appeared the bomber had intended to target minority Shia Muslims, but decided to detonate the bomb after being stopped by police in the Orakzai Agency, Dawn reported.

Islamabad  - A suspected US pilotless aircraft on Friday targeted a militant hideout in Pakistan's restive tribal region along the border with Afghanistan, killing six people and several, Pakistani intelligence official said.

Two missiles were fired from the drone aircraft at around 21:15 at a house in Qatira village, some 20 kilometres south of Mira Ali, one of the main towns in the tribal district of North Waziristan, a known sanctuary of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.

"According to the information we have received so far from the locals, six people are confirmed dead," said a local intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ankara  - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday refused to deny reports that the attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai were carried out by people operating from Pakistan.

"Pakistan has always discouraged, and our position that we are the victims of terrorism. Pakistan is currently doing its own internal investigation and it is waiting for concrete proof," Zardari said.

Asked whether Pakistan would change its own approach to combatting terrorism in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, Zardari said his government's focus would remain on fighting terrorists.