Lahore, Oct 3 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the Pakistan Government would first exercise the option of holding a dialogue with the Haqqani network rather than taking military action against it, to arrive at a peace settlement.

“We should give peace a chance at the first place by holding dialogue with the militants,” he said.

His statement a US accusation that Pakistan has links with the militant Haqqani network.

Gilani said the Pakistan Government would not succumb to the US’ pressure and implement its 3-D policy (dialogue, development and deterrence) to root out militancy, The Nation reports.

“Former (US) President Bush was shocked when I told him about the Pakistan Government’s 3-D policy to end terrorism, during my first visit to the US,” Gilani said.

He said a parliamentary committee would be formed, as a first step, to implement all resolutions passed by the Pakistan parliament on the subject.

The committee would also advise the government on how to deal with extremists.

He said political agents in the tribal region could play a significant role in negotiating peace with the extremists.

He said his government did not categorise Taliban into “good or bad” Talibans, as they were just Talibans.

Gilani said the Pakistan Government had earlier reached an agreement with a banned militant group, Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi leader Maulana Fazlullah but when he violated the agreement by attacking security forces, local tribes supported a military operation against him in Swat. (ANI)