Congressman Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.), Co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, warned today that unless Pakistan immediately ceases its assistance to Islamic terrorists in Kargil/Dras area of Jammu and Kashmir and withdraws its forces from the region, the State Department must add Pakistan to the annual list of state sponsors of terrorism.

In a statement, Rep.Ackerman, who is also a leading member of the House International Relations Committee, said: " It's a matter of great disappointment to me that, contrary to the letter and spirit of the Lahore Declaration, a large number of well-trained and heavily- armed Afghan mercenaries and fundamentalist Mujahideen terrorists allegedly with spiritual and other links to the Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden and Harakat Ul- Mujahideen have entered the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) from Pakistan. These terrorists have been aided and abetted by elements of the Pakistani security apparatus and are operating inside the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir with Islamabad's moral and material assistance."

"Quite clearly, what we are witnessing in Kargil and some other areas of Jammu and Kashmir is nothing short of a well-planned armed aggression against India. This armed aggression of Indian territory must be undone immediately. The first thing Pakistan must do is to immediately put an end to this proxy war by pulling back its assistance, both covert and overt, to the Islamic terrorists now violating Indian territory."

Ackerman, who several times has visited Jammu and Kashmir, said: "Unless Islamabad immediately ceases its assistance to these fundamentalist mercenaries and forces them to pull out of Indian soil, the State department must designate Pakistan as a sponsor of international terrorism."

The New York lawmaker added, " I'm very concerned about the fighting and escalation of tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors of South Asia. I can fully appreciate the firm steps taken by the Indian government to defend its territory against armed aggression. The caretaker Vajpayee Administration cannot be expected to sit back and watch the Line of Control --- the de facto observed, but unofficial border between the India and Pakistani forces in Jammu and Kashmir being violated. India has reached in a measured and prudent manner to undo this armed aggression."

"Pakistan must stop trying to undo the LoC, which has been clearly demarcated over the years. The two sides have not had any major differences or confusion about where the LoC is. The current armed aggression of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani-sponsored terrorists is a wanton and provocative violation of the Line of Control. Those who have invaded the Indian soil from the Pakistani side must pull back - now."