[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20371]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING INDIA ON SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN JAMMU AND 
                                KASHMIR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity on 
the House floor to congratulate India and its election commission on 
the successful conclusion of free, fair, and transparent elections in 
Jammu and Kashmir for an 87-member state assembly.
  The challenges experienced by candidates, political workers, and 
voters were extreme in this election. Targeted violence by terrorists 
was used as a tool for the specific purpose of foiling these elections 
and impeding this exercise in democracy.
  The people of Jammu and Kashmir were very brave to literally risk 
their lives in order to participate in these elections. In fact, the 
outcome of these elections was such a success that during the fourth 
phase of polling an estimated 52 percent of the nearly 450,000 
electorate exercised their right to vote in six constituencies of the 
Doda district alone.
  The example of these elections further reiterates India's dedication 
to democracy since it gained independence over 50 years ago. It is no 
wonder that the United States and India, the world's two largest 
democracies, are partners in the ongoing effort to build a more 
democratic world.
  Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the same cannot be said about Pakistan. 
Not only has militant infiltration across the Kashmir border increased 
over the past 2 months, but in addition there is much concern that the 
legislative elections currently being held in Pakistan are a sham. 
President Musharraf has single-handedly emasculated the leadership of 
major political parties that oppose him, and he has altered the 
constitution to such an extreme degree that it is clear that the 
outcome of the election will favor a party of politicians or the 
``King's Party'' who are directly under his control. And this is 
deliberate and I think absolutely undemocratic.
  Mr. Speaker, the point I am trying to make is that we have two 
neighboring countries but that their electoral process and government 
structure could not be more different. As Indian citizens of Jammu and 
Kashmir faced potential death by heading to the polls over the last 4 
weeks, these citizens courageously cast their votes, and I believe this 
democratic will and exercise on the part of the Indian Government and 
its people must be appropriately commended. And again, Mr. Speaker, 
that is why I felt it was necessary for me to speak on this important 
issue this late in the evening.

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