Pakistan's intelligence agency has cancelled planned talks with security experts in the UK in the wake of David Cameron's claim that elements within the country were promoting the export of terror, it has been confirmed.

The cancelled trip is the most concrete indication so far of damage done to Anglo-Pakistani relations by Mr Cameron's comments, which sparked outrage in Islamabad when he made them during this week's trip to India.

It comes days ahead of a three-day visit to the UK by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, during which he is expected to stay with Mr Cameron at his country retreat Chequers.

Pakistan is regarded by UK agencies as a key nation in the fight against terror. Former prime minister Gordon Brown said that 75 per cent of terror plots under investigation in the UK were linked to the country.

Pakistan itself has suffered a wave of terror attacks following the launch of military operations aimed at militants in the north-west frontier regions bordering Afghanistan.