The United States has asked Pakistan to withdraw the diplomatic immunity of its envoy to the United Nations, Munir Akram, as New York City prosecutors want to bring misdemeanour assault charges against him for assaulting a woman.

Marjorie Tiven, the city commissioner in charge of UN issues, wrote to the United States mission in Washington on December 26 requesting that the envoy's immunity be removed, according to Edward Skyler, the mayor's spokesman.

Skyler said the Manhattan district attorney's office had advised city officials that it was prepared to prosecute Akram if his immunity was lifted.

The state department lodged its request with Pakistan on December 28, media reports said on Wednesday.

On December 10, the NYC police got an emergency call from a residence at 47 East, 92nd Street, Manhattan, police officials were quoted as saying.

Marijana Mihic, 35, told the operator that her husband had smashed her head into a wall, according to the police dispatcher's notes of the conversation. She said the man had hit her before.

"Female caller states husband has diplomatic immunity," the dispatcher noted.

When police officers arrived, Mihic said that Akram, 57, was her boyfriend, [not husband] and that after an argument with him she had tried to leave, The New York Times reported.

"He [Akram] prevented her from leaving; he grabbed her and she fell," said Lt Brian Burke, a police spokesman.

The police officers at the scene reported that Mihic's head was bruised, he said.

Akram was at the residence when the police arrived and identified himself as an ambassador, the daily said.

"There was nothing really that the officers could do," Lt Burke said.

A spokesman for the Pakistani mission on Wednesday said that Akram and his friend had reconciled.

"The ambassador and his friend both strongly believe that there is no basis for any legal action in this matter," said Mansoor Suhail, the spokesman. "And they have both communicated that belief to the concerned authorities."

Once the police officers arrived at the residence, Mihic seemed to become less alarmed, and she refused medical attention when an ambulance from the city's Emergency Medical Service went to the scene, city officials said.