"Many of the religious parties in Pakistan have links to extremists who fought in Afghanistan and Kashmir. A crackdown on extremism in Pakistan is necessary to help prevent future terrorist attacks as well as to facilitate India-Pakistan peace," Senator Lugar said.

"We support the Pakistan government's efforts to root out terrorism and we are committed to Pakistan's long-term development and prosperity," he said.

US Ambassador-designate to Pakistan Ryan Crocker told his Senate confirmation hearing that "Indo-Pakistani reconciliation is key to regional stability and international security."

Observing that leaders of India and Pakistan demonstrated far-sighted statesmanship in initiating the composite dialogue this year and continued it through the meeting of President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York, he said "We stand ready to assist them in the process in whatever ways both would find useful."

On Pakistan, he said "our growing partnership gives us an opportunity to support Pakistan's efforts to become a modern democratic state and a moderate voice in the Islamic world, the vision articulated by President Musharraf himself".

"Our revived economic development programme for Pakistan is a key part of the strategy and aims to promote sustainable growth and improved living standards," Lugar said.

The Ambassador-designate said that if he was confirmed, he will place "particular emphasis on our education programmes, where we are working with the Pakistani government to improve the quality and the affordability of Paksitan's public schools so that parents of limited means have an alternative to narrow, religiously oriented education."

Indo-Pak peace talks: complete coverage
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