Powerful lawmaker asks Obama to engage India, Pak on Kashmir

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Dec 18 (PTI) A powerful American lawmaker has
appealed to US President Barack Obama to "engage" Pakistan and
India to resolve the Kashmir issue, arguing it would bring
long-term peace in the region.
"In order to secure a long-term regional peace, the
President must engage India and Pakistan to seek a final
political agreement on Kashmir," Congressman John Conyers,
said in his speech in the House of Representatives.
The Obama administration has in the past few days
repeatedly asserted that it does not intend to play any
mediatory role on the Kashmir issue.
"Only when Pakistan feels secure in the south, will the
Pakistani army be able to focus its efforts on defeating the
Taliban who dwell along the Afghan border," Conyers, Chairman
of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, argued.
"One of the least discussed aspects of this conflict is
the role India must play in promoting regional peace," he
said.
He said, for years the Pakistani military and
intelligence services have been hesitant to crack down on
Taliban militants operating in the tribal regions because they
fear the establishment of an Afghan government that would be
susceptible to Indian influence.
"Such a worst case scenario, in their view, would give
one of their traditional regional foes a foothold on both
their northern and southern borders," Conyers, the lawmaker
from Michigan said.
The Congressman noted that if the Pakistani people
understand that the US is committed to helping secure their
safety and prosperity, they will step up their efforts to
combat terrorism within their borders.
"Additionally, I believe we must expand our thinking
beyond Pakistan to include other actors and countries that
affect the greater region," he said.
Conyers also opposed sending of more troops to
Afghanistan.
"No amount of additional troops can bring a war with no
military solution to an end," he said. PTI LKJ
ANU