During a meeting with visiting British shadow security minister Baroness Pauline Neville Johns, Gilani reaffirmed his government's commitment that "the perpetrators of those heinous crimes will not be spared".

However, he "regretted that India, by refusing Pakistan's cooperation, has only served the objectives of terrorist elements in the region", said an official statement issued after the meeting.

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

Johns agreed with Gilani that the Kashmir issue is "part of the problem in the region" and should be resolved by resuming the composite dialogue between Pakistan and India as soon as possible.

Gilani and Johns agreed that the use of force is not the only option to effectively fight terrorism. Dialogue, which is an important component of the Pakistan government's three-pronged strategy, should be incorporated in confronting militancy and efforts to restore peace in the Swat valley should be seen in that context, the statement said.

The premier emphasised the need for building the capacity of Pakistan's civil armed forces, training and equipping the Pakistan Army for effectively taking on the militants, sharing of actionable intelligence and building of trust and confidence among allies involved in joint efforts to counter terrorism.