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ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (AFP) - Pakistan has decided to close the Taliban's embassy in Islamabad, severing the militia's last diplomatic link to the world, the foreign ministry announced Thursday.

Spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan said Pakistan had been cutting back the Taliban's missions as the Islamic militia progressively lost control of Afghanistan.

"It is a subject that has been under discussion in our foreign office, and you know that we have been taking steps keeping the realities on the ground in mind," Khan said.

"Yesterday a decision was taken to close the embassy in Islamabad," he said, adding Pakistan would review Afghanistan's representation here once a broad-based government was installed in Kabul.

Khan said the Taliban would be given "reasonable time" to wind up the mission in accordance with international law.

The move completes Pakistan's progressive disengagement from the Taliban.

At the time of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, three countries had diplomatic links with the Taliban regime, but the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia severed their ties in October, leaving Pakistan standing alone.

Government sources said Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar informed the cabinet of the decision to close the Taliban embassy during its meeting Wednesday under the chairmanship of President Pervez Musharraf.

The United States said Wednesday it had asked Pakistan to close the Taliban embassy and expel the militia's diplomats because their presence was no longer "useful."

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the request had been made after eight western aid workers, including two Americans, detained by the Taliban in Kabul were freed and then rescued by US troops last week.

Pakistan said Monday that Islamabad no longer recognised the Taliban government but had not severed diplomatic relations in the absence of an alternative and legitimate authority.

A day later, the government closed the Taliban consulates in Peshawar and Quetta but postponed a decision on the Islamabad embassy.

Pakistan, which was one of the main backers of the Taliban before September 11, had initially justified retaining relations by saying there had to be some official contact with the militia.

But the first sign of disengagement came earlier this month when Pakistan told the Taliban ambassador here, Abdul Salam Zaeef, to stop giving press conferences.

The regular briefings held in the Taliban embassy garden had become a huge international media draw because of Zaeef's position as the Islamic regime's only foreign envoy.

Zaeef used the platform to condemn the US air raids in Afghanistan -- frequently accusing the United States of "genocide" -- and to defend accused terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

He also issued claims of civilian casualties that the White House in Washington described as "grossly exaggerated".

A day after it issued the gag order on Zaeef, Pakistan ordered the closure of the Taliban consulate in Karachi 

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