Washington: Pointing out that many religious parties in Pakistan have links to extremists in Afghanistan and Kashmir, Chairman of the US Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar has said a crackdown on extremism is necessary to facilitate the Indo-Pak peace process.

"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 terrorists 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."