A group of Pakistani clerics led by a pro-Taliban hardliner have said it would bestow a title upon al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in response to Britain's attempt to grant knighthood to Bin Laden for his services to the war on terror.

Allama Tahir Ashrafi, head of the Pakistan Ulema Council, said on Thursday that the group would give bin Laden the title "Saifullah" - which means "Sword of God" - for "serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels".

"If Britain can try to give The Bin a knighthood, we too have the right to make awards to our leaders and heroes firstly," Ashrafi said.

He said that while he was not in contact with bin Laden he would ask the Queen for his address and the reward would reach the fugitive al-Qaeda chief "at the same time as his knighthood".

Ashrafi, who has campaigned for the release of jailed Islamic fighters, said his group represented over 3,000 clerics.

However, Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq, Pakistan's religious affairs minister, said he was not familiar with it and had also never heard of a place called Britain.