New Delhi - Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Saturday that Pakistani leaders should not create tension in order to deflect the issue of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, news reports said.

India has blamed "non-state actors" based in Pakistan for the terrorist attacks on its financial hub Mumbai on November 26 that killed more than 170 people.

The accusation has led to increased tension between the two countries with reports saying the military on both sides is on heightened alert.

"A lot of issues are being raised in relation to the Mumbai terror attacks. It is unfortunate that an atmosphere has been created in Pakistan, some sort of war hysteria," PTI news agency quoted Mukherjee as saying at an international seminar for Zoroastrian teachers in India's eastern West Bengal state.

"I appeal to Pakistan and Pakistani leaders: do not unnecessarily try to create tension. Do not try to deflect the issue. A problem has to be tackled face to face. Evading a problem will not help to get rid of it," he said.

"The issue is not the defence of Pakistan. The issue is not war. The issue is the terrorist attack on Mumbai. The unprecedented scale, magnitude, ferocity as well as audacity all clearly demonstrated that it was not only preplanned, but also well planned," Mukherjee said.

He said the world needed to focus on how to prevent and eliminate terrorism.

The fight against terrorism was not directed at any country, nation or religion, Mukherjee said.

"Terrorism is not linked to a particular religion or community. I totally reject such an idea. Islam propagates love and affection," Mukherjee said.

Meanwhile, India's Foreign Ministry has advised Indian citizens against travelling to Pakistan following reports in the Pakistani media that some Indian nationals had been arrested over the last two days in Lahore and Multan and were being accused of being terrorists.

"Since it has also been reported in the Pakistani media yesterday that the senior police officer in Lahore was unaware of the arrest in his city, it seems that this is the work of other agencies in Pakistan that operate outside the law and civilian control," India's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

"Indian citizens are therefore advised that it would be unsafe for them to travel or be in Pakistan," the statement said. (dpa)