WASHINGTON: The Trump administration’s point man for South and Central Asia has told Congress that Pakistan remains an important US partner in the region, with Washington seeking to expand trade, economic cooperation, and security ties with the country.

Addressing the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Sub-committee on South and Central Asia on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapur underscored Pakistan’s role in regional engagement and highlighted growing bilateral cooperation.

“Pakistan is another important partner in the region. We are working together with Pakistan to realise the potential of its critical mineral resources, combining US government seed financing with private sector know-how would benefit both of our countries,” he told the sub-committee.

Referring to broader economic engagement, Kapur said: “Our trade in energy and agriculture is expanding as well.”

He also pointed to continued security cooperation between the two countries, adding: “And our ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation helps Pakistan combat internal security threats while addressing transnational dangers that can harm the US or our partners.”

During the subsequent question-and-answer session, lawmakers raised issues related to militancy, Pakistan’s past security strategy and broader regional dynamics.

Referring to Kapur’s academic work, a congressman noted that his book examined militancy and national security in Pakistan and asked whether militant groups based in South and Central Asia were operating in the United States.

Kapur said the purpose of his book had been to examine Pakistani strategy and how the Pakistani state had interacted with militant and terrorist groups.

When asked whether this meant that South and Central Asian militant groups were importing Sharia into the United States, Kapur said that as coherent or organised entities, such groups were not known to be operating in the country. He cautioned, however, that individual members could be present anywhere.

The assistant secretary of state added that one of the challenges in dealing with terrorism was that small numbers of individuals could blend into the general population, making their presence difficult to detect.

The hearing then turned to India’s role in the US strategy toward China. Asked how India was likely to support US efforts to counter what was described as an increasingly aggressive China, Kapur said an India that was able to develop independently, stand on its own and preserve its freedom of action served US strategic interests.

He said the broader objective was to prevent China, or any single hegemonic power, from dominating the region or imposing leverage over it. An independent India, he said, reduced China’s ability to become a dominant power across the Indo-Pacific.

Responding to a question on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Kapur said India’s economic development, infrastructure growth and independent military development constrained Beijing’s ability to expand its influence.

At the hearing, lawmakers from both parties underscored the stakes of US engagement in South Asia. House Foreign Affairs Sub-committee on South and Central Asia Chairman Bill Huizenga said Washington’s approach must be broad-based and values-driven. “Our strategy in South Asia must be comprehensive, anchored in strong partnerships, economic engagement, and a commitment to democratic values,” he said.

Democratic concerns focused on recent regional crises and the direction of US diplomacy. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), the ranking member of the sub-committee, recalled that India and Pakistan “fought their most serious military conflict in decades” in May, warning that the confrontation risked nuclear escalation in a region home to nearly two billion people.

She said the episode should have reinforced “the indispensable role of US diplomacy,” but argued that this was eclipsed by President Trump’s insistence on taking credit for the cease-fire and his offer to mediate the Kashmir dispute.

Kamlager-Dove also voiced alarm over Afghanistan, saying she feared it was “only a matter of time” before the administration moves toward recognising the Taliban without securing meaningful improvements in the rights of Afghan women and girls—an outcome she described as unconscionable.

Testifying before the panel, Kapur said the US has begun offering financial assistance to Afghans to return home as it works to close a long-standing camp in Qatar. More than 1,100 people have been held at the former US Army base Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) since early 2025, when the Trump administration halted resettlement for Afghans fearing Taliban reprisals for their ties to US forces.

“We are not forcibly repatriating Afghans to Afghanistan. Some have gone of their own volition, but we’re not forcing anybody,” Kapur said, noting that roughly 150 had accepted the payments, though their status after returning was unknown.