LAHORE, Sept 27: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan has urged the Pakistani authorities to use their influence, if any, among the Haqqani group for a peaceful settlement of Afghan issue and facilitating US troops pullout from the war-torn country.

He was talking to the media after visiting dengue patients at Services Hospital here on Tuesday.

Opposing army action against the militant group active in Afghanistan, he warned that it could add to terrorist and extremist activities in Pakistan.

“Therefore, we should use our influence among the Haqqani group for a peace agreement, especially helping the exit of Americans from Afghanistan. For, as far as Washington is in Kabul, it’ll continue putting pressure on Islamabad and use us to forward its agenda.”

He argued that terrorism could be rooted out only through dialogue and by devising a political solution to the issue as military operation would increase heinous acts here.

Opposing army action in North Waziristan, he suggested pulling out troops from tribal areas.

He told a questioner that he would attend the all-party conference being convened by the government in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss US threats and allegations but suggested that all the participants should take a unanimous line to make the APC fruitful.

The PTI chief castigated the Punjab government for not acting in time against dengue virus though it had prior intimation of the crisis.

He said his party had initiated fumigation of various localities in Lahore with 10 machines while funds were being raised to purchase more units for increasing the coverage.