ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Pakistan and the United Kingdom agreed on Friday that the use of force was not the only option to effectively curb terrorism.

Dialogue should be supported because it was an important component in dealing with the menace of militancy and efforts being made to restore peace in Swat should be seen in that context.

These views were expressed during a meeting between Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Baroness Pauline Neville Johns, British Shadow Security Minister and National Security Adviser to Opposition Leader David Cameron.

According to an official handout, the prime minister said that friendly countries should help by training and equipping the Pakistan army, sharing reliable and actionable intelligence and building trust and confidence among the allies jointly combating the menace of terrorism.

The prime minister said the US and Nato forces in coordination with the Afghan government should eliminate poppy cultivation in Afghanistan and destroy heroin laboratories to stop financing of Taliban with drug money.

Referring to the Mumbai incidents and Pakistan’s response to the Indian dossier, the prime minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment that the perpetrators of the heinous crimes would not be spared. He regretted that India by refusing to accept Pakistan’s cooperation was only serving the objectives of terrorist elements in the region.

He expressed the hope that both the countries would soon revert to the composite dialogue and undertake sincere efforts to resolve all issues, including the Kashmir, amicably.

Baroness Pauline Johns agreed with the prime minister that the Kashmir dispute was a major part of the problem in the region and should be resolved by resuming the composite dialogue as soon as possible.