Pakistani Americans Ask Obama, Congress to Shun Anti-Pakistan Campaign
Washington, DC: The Pakistan American National Alliance (PANA), a US-wide coalition of Pakistani-American organizations, will hold a press conference at the National Press Club in DC on Monday, Jan 26 at 10: 30 am.
PANA has scheduled its press conference to urge the Obama Administration and the US Congress to shun the anti-Pakistan campaign that will be formally launched by the Indian Task Force on Tuesday, Jan 27 to “demand” that the US should “confront” Pakistan.
“We want to inform the Obama Administration that they should pursue US interest in the context of world peace and stability instead of lending credence to narrow-minded nationalism of one segment of the Indian community”, says PANA Chair Dr Muhammad Ashraf Toor.
By introducing an amendment to the Biden-Lugar Bill (S. 3263), the Indian Task Force is trying to acquire the capacity to micromanage Pakistan’s internal affairs.
As reported in India West dated Jan 9-8, 2009,
“In the wake of terrorist attacks in Mumbai, an unprecedented coalition of Indian American national organizations have united to pressure Congress and President-elect Barack Obama’s new administration to change U.S. policies towards Pakistan and take immediate action against Pakistan-based terrorism.
The groups plan a show of force on what they have dubbed ‘Lobby Day’ in Washington, DC, Jan. 27, where several hundred Indian Americans are expected to lobby Congress and Obama’s foreign policy decision-makers.
They will also present a White Paper, or information document, on Pakistan—based terrorism.
Participating organizations in the task force include: the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the Association of Indians in America, the Indian American Friendship Forum, the Indian American Forum for Political Education, the Indian American Political Action Committee, the National Federation of Indian American Associations, the U.S.-India Political Action Committee, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin and U.S.-India Friendship.
PANA leadership contends that this anti-Pakistan campaign by the Indian Task Force will revive old hostilities, re-polarize Indian and Pakistani communities, jeopardize US interests, undermine prospects for peace in South Asia, weaken the centrist force while strengthening the extremists.
PANA has proposed a partnership for peace to eradicate violence and extremism by seeking to address it root causes.
PANA will, among other things, distribute a White Paper for Peace at this press conference.
Those Pakistani-American activists wanting to join the “Partnership for Peace” campaign should contact Muhammad Salim Akhtar @ 773-507-5335.
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