Paul Kapur, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, has pledged cooperation with Pakistan across various domains, including security, bilateral trade, and investment, as reported by The News on Wednesday.
During his confirmation hearing before the US Senate, Kapur stated that if confirmed, he would actively pursue security cooperation with Pakistan while simultaneously exploring opportunities for enhanced bilateral trade and investment collaboration.
“If confirmed, I will continue to promote longstanding US security interests with Pakistan and India through the pursuit of peace and stability, and the fight against terrorism,” remarked the US scholar of Indian origin and Trump’s nominee.
His comments come amidst his consistent strong support for deepening strategic ties between India and the US, as well as his firm commitment to preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a “terrorism launchpad.” He previously stated, “If confirmed, I’ll support efforts to bring home detained Americans in Afghanistan and work to prevent the country from becoming a terrorism launchpad again.”
Reflecting on the recent armed conflict between Pakistan and India, Kapur observed that South Asia narrowly averted a severe escalation, noting the “intense engagement” of US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the issue. His remarks refer to the 87-hour-long conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, which included cross-border strikes by both countries. This confrontation followed the Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 tourists were killed, and India falsely attributed the attack to Pakistan.
Following the incident, India reportedly engaged in unprovoked attacks on Pakistan, killing several innocent civilians for three days, before the Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated defensively with the successful “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.” Pakistan reportedly downed dozens of drones and six Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales. The conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations concluded on May 10 after at least 87 hours, with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire, in which President Trump played a pivotal role, both Islamabad and New Delhi have embarked on global diplomatic outreach initiatives to present their respective stances on the recent clashes between the arch-rivals. For Pakistan, former Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is leading a nine-member high-level parliamentary delegation across several countries. The delegation’s objective is to articulate Pakistan’s position on the recent military confrontation with India and to challenge New Delhi’s narrative on the international stage.
The delegation, comprising prominent figures such as Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Bushra Anjum Butt, and Syed Faisal Subzwari, is currently in the UK after concluding their US trip. During their visit to the US, they met with several key figures, including the UN Secretary-General, as well as US lawmakers and officials.
Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts appear to be yielding positive results, as the US Department of State has expressed hope that President Donald Trump will contribute to resolving the longstanding Kashmir dispute during his term in office. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, responding to inquiries regarding a recent meeting between Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, and the Bilawal-led diplomatic delegation, emphasized that President Trump went a step further by offering to mediate between Pakistan and India to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Kashmir. President Trump also posted on his Truth Social platform about his willingness to work with both countries if a solution can be reached concerning Kashmir.
Pakistan has welcomed this gesture, while India has rebuffed the mediation offer, maintaining its long-standing position that Kashmir remains a bilateral issue.
Donald Lu’s Prospective Replacement
Kapur’s remarks on cooperation with Pakistan carry significant weight as he is poised to replace Donald Lu as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs if confirmed by the US Senate. It is noteworthy that Donald Lu became embroiled in a major controversy stemming from allegations by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, who accused the US diplomat of playing a role in his removal from office. Khan, who was ousted through a parliamentary vote of no confidence led by the now-ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its political allies in April 2022, alleged that Lu was involved in orchestrating a “foreign conspiracy.”
Trump’s key nominee’s remarks, however, come after the president publicly praised Pakistani leadership as being “very strong.”
