Pak-Americans say US can ensure stability in South Asia

Washington, Dec.13 (ANI): The Pakistani-American community is of the view that only the United States Government can ensure that South Asia remains stable in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Calling for co-operative efforts to address the problem of extremism, community leaders asked Washington to step in to help ensure regional stability, adding that it would also serve US interests.

According to the Daily Times, several Pakistani-American associations have strongly condemned the attacks in Mumbai, saying Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism, and therefore, its people share the pain of the victims.

"We, the South Asians, and all Americans must use our political, social, and financial capital to instrument fundamental change, co-operation, and partnership that will lead us through these times of fundamentalist extremism on both sides of the border," the Pakistani-American Leadership Centre (PALC) said.

The PALC statement further said that the "American interests are best served by stabilizing the entire South Asian region, from Dhaka to Colombo, from Colombo to Delhi, from Delhi to Islamabad, and finally from Islamabad to Kabul and beyond".

They warned that alienating a key non-NATO ally like Pakistan would be "like shooting ourselves in the foot and intensifying our vulnerabilities." (ANI)