PANA Calls for Unity, Democracy & Solidarity with Peoples of Lebanon & Palestine

New York, NY: Pakistan-American National Alliance (PANA), a US- wide coalition of Pakistani-American organizations, has issued a PAKISTAN DAY statement which calls for internal unity, commitment to constitutional democracy in Pakistan, and solidarity with the suffering peoples of Lebanon and Palestine.
Their PAKISTAN DAY statement reads:
1. “We reaffirm our commitment to Pakistan’s stability, progress, and prosperity, as well as to good governance enshrined in rule of law, due process, equal justice, human rights and civil liberties for all, women’s rights, minority rights, and social justice. Also, internal, consensus-based, unity among all provinces and ethnic and religious groups in Pakistan, and all Pakistani-American communities and organizations in the United States.
2. “We also reaffirm our commitment to Constitutional democracy in Pakistan and vigorously demand: a) restoration of the 1973 Constitution status quo ante October 12, 1999, b) full compliance with the 1973 Constitution status quo ante October 12, 1999 by the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and c) free and fair elections under an independent election commission and with ready access to an independent judiciary sworn to office under the Constitution and NOT Gen Musharraf’s Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
3. “We wholeheartedly support Lebanese Government’s Seven-Point Peace Plan unanimously adopted by the Lebanese Cabinet and unanimously endorsed by the 22 member-states of the Arab League.
4. “We ask the Government of Pakistan to condemn Israeli aggression in the strongest possible terms, provide all possible moral, material and diplomatic support to the suffering people of Lebanon and Palestine, and terminate all informal contacts with Israel.
5. “We vigorously support international demand for complete withdrawal of Israeli armed and civilian forces from all parts of Lebanon including the Sheeba Farm. Even-handed, single-standard, approach to conflict resolution necessitates UN censure and condemnation of all forms of terrorism including state terrorism, and implementation of all relevant UN Resolutions, not just 1559. Peace presupposes justice, justice presupposes end to triple Israeli occupations of Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian lands.
6. "We call on international human rights groups to bring war crimes charges against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his role in the deaths of hundreds of women, children and the elderly in Qana, Lebanon, and in many less well-known incidents.
7. "We urge the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and the Arab League (AL) to declare Israel a terrorist state and to support the Lebanese government's legitimate demand for compensation from Israel for its war crimes.
8. "Finally, we urge all people of conscience to seek divestment from any corporate entity that benefits the Israeli war economy.”


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Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
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