Pakistan has started maintaining distance from firebrand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani following his reluctance to shun the extremist line.

Geelani, who was in New Delhi for the last one week, was summoned to the Pakistan high commission on two occasions where he was asked to soften his stand and reduce hostility towards the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process.

He was also asked to change his dictatorial attitude towards his colleagues in the breakaway faction of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, close aides of Geelani said.

Geelani had to face rough weather when one of his associates in the breakaway Hurriyat had gone and complained to the mission staff about his "autocratic style of functioning", the sources said.

Geelani's protests to Pakistani mission staff for holding marathon talks with the Hurriyat faction led by Maulana Abbas Ansari also found no takers and he was even advised to think rationally before some drastic political step was taken, they said.