Press Trust of India New York, March 22, 2005|20:09 IST Taking strong exception to demands made by some American lawmakers for supply of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, an influential former US Senator has asked the administration to adopt a robust pro-India stance and said treating both the countries the same was a great mistake.
India is a democracy with a free market and a highly developed system of human rights, former Republican Senator Larry Pressler said. He called for a fundamental "policy shift" in America's priorities in the subcontinent. "It could become our major bulwark against China in East Asia. It also has a large Muslim minority and, generally speaking, is an example of tolerance. And we have a mutually beneficial trade relationship with India that is helping us keep our technological edge," Pressler said. Pakistan, on the other hand, is corrupt, absolute dictatorship, he said in an article published in the New York Times. "It has a horrendous record on human rights and religious tolerance, and it has been found again and again to be selling nuclear materials to our worst enemies. It claims to be helping us to fight terrorism, although many intelligence experts have suggested that most of our money actually goes to strengthening the rule of Gen. Pervez Musharraf," he said. Calling for a fundamental "policy shift" in the subcontinent, he said, "First, we should enthusiastically improve our treatment of India. We should not reject Pakistan entirely "we need it as an ally" but to treat India and Pakistan as the same is a great mistake." ------------- Carlos