Page 18 - Pakistan Link - March 26, 2021

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – MARCH 26, 2021 COMMUNITY
When Will Seniors, UN Women Pakistan Ahmad Al-Issa Mardan Bride Demands HEC and UN Body to
Others on Social Security Recognizes PIA Purser Identified as Suspect Books Worth Sponsor Six Virtual
Get COVID Stimulus for Showcasing Gender in Colorado Grocery Rs100,000 Webinars on Countering
Payments? Sensitivity Shooting as Haq Mehr Hate Speech and Violence

n By Kelly Tyko ike anywhere else in the world,
in multiethnic and multi-
ore stimulus checks are Lreligious Pakistan, socio-
on the way through direct economic instability compounded
Mdeposit and the mail. by the COVID-19 pandemic, has
The Internal Revenue Service the potential to foster an environ-
and US Treasury said Monday that ment of increasing ethnic and sec-
the next batch of Economic Impact tarian tensions. Despite attempts
Payments will be issued this week in recent months by the Pakistani
with many coming as paper checks or government to improve the general
prepaid debit cards. Some direct de- human rights situation in the coun-
posits began processing Friday with try, an increase in hate speech along
an official pay date of Wednesday, ethnic and religious lines and high-
March 24. profile targeted killings of members
Additional payments are expect- of ethnic religious minorities have
ed to be released on a weekly basis akistan International Air- n By Brittany Bernstein hile it is considered a norm been reported.
going forward, the IRS said in a news lines (PIA) steward Touheed in our society for expensive The United Nations has multi-
release. PDaudpota was lauded by the olice have identified 21-year- Witems to be given as “haq plied efforts in many countries since
“The IRS continues to send the United Nations Women Pakistan old Ahmad Al-Issa as the sus- mehr” to brides on their wedding, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pan-
third round of stimulus payments on Monday for “showcasing gender Ppect in the grocery store mass Mardan’s Naila Shamal has asked her demic to foster diversity and inclu-
in record time,” IRS Commissioner sensitivity towards a female passen- shooting in Boulder, Colo., that left husband for books worth Rs100,000 sion as well as counter and address
Chuck Rettig said in a statement. ger.” ten people dead on Monday. instead. hate speech. Not only is this a vital
“Since this new set of payments will “Mr Touheed Daudpota, a crew Law enforcement officials said Haq mehr is the obligatory pay- first aid strategy in countering trends
include more mailed payments, we member of #PIA, whose photos of Al-Issa opened fire on customers and ment — made in the form of money, of hatred, intolerance and discrimi-
urge people to carefully watch their soothing a baby went viral, was de- responding officers at a King Soop- jewelry, home goods, furniture and/or nation that are spreading like wild-
mail for a check or debit card in the clared by UN Women Pakistan the ers grocery store with a rifle before any other form of property — made by fire across the globe but it is also a
coming weeks.” #HeforShe champion for displaying being shot in the leg by police and a man directly to his wife-to-be upon sustainable long-term mechanism
If your first two stimulus checks empathy, gender sensitivity, respect, taken into custody. He is in hospital taking her hand in marriage. for shifting the pendulum of human
came as paper checks, it is possible and care to a woman passenger, up- in stable condition, officials said. Only the woman has the right over history from polarity towards an em-
you will get a direct deposit this time. holding long traditions of great peo- Police identified victims be- her haq mehr, and paying it is a legal ob- pathetic and peaceful middle ground.
“The vast majority of taxpayers ple to fly with,” tweeted PIA along tween the ages of 20 and 65, includ- ligation under Islamic law and customs. In South Asia, where hate speech
receiving EIPs will receive it by direct with a video of the crew member re- ing Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, In a viral video on Twitter, Shamal and sectarian tensions are broader re-
deposit. In addition, the IRS and the ceiving the award. 51; Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, can be seen dressed in a bridal outfit as gional problems, the UN Office on
Bureau of the Fiscal Service lever- Last week, a photo of a PIA stew- 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowi- she delivers an important message. “As Genocide Prevention and the Re-
aged data in their systems to convert ard calming an agitated baby during ka, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri you all know, I have demanded books sponsibility to Protect and the Higher
many payments to direct deposits a flight went viral on the internet. Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn worth Rs100,000 for Haq Mehr,” she Education Commission (HEC) have
that otherwise would have been sent The national flag carrier has Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65. says. “One reason for this is that due to prioritized Pakistan because of the
as paper checks or debit cards,” the been in the news in the recent past Al-Issa has been charged with rising inflation in our country, we can- following reasons:
Treasury said in a news release. “This mostly for all the wrong reasons, ten counts of murder. not afford expensive gifts. On the other 1) Pakistan is located at the
accelerated the disbursement of these ranging from financial woes to mis- Law enforcement officials did hand, it is also important to eliminate nexus between the Middle East,
payments by weeks.” management and fake pilot licenses. not reveal a possible motive for the wrong customs from our society,” she South Asia and Central Asia;
Last week, the IRS said it had However, a few days ago, singer shooting and investigators believe adds. 2) Pakistan has one of the larg-
sent out coronavirus relief checks Fakhr-e-Alam shared a picture that there were no other suspects in- Shumaila then says that most est Muslim populations in the world
to more than 90 million Americans renewed Pakistanis’ hopes in the re- volved. women demand money and jewelry as and has more than ten religious mi-
under the initial round of payments vival of the once great airline. “It is premature for us to draw Haq Mehr but she decided to settle for norities.
made under President Joe Biden’s Alam shared a photo of the head any conclusions at this point in time,” books as, being a writer, it was impor- 3) Pakistan is the home of
American Rescue Plan. purser on an Islamabad-Karachi FBI special agent Michael Schneider tant for her to show due importance for some of the major religions of the
Get updates on the status of your flight cradling a baby in his arms. said. “I can tell you the community books. world: it is the birthplace of Sikhism,
next stimulus payment using the IRS The singer shared that the PIA is safe and we will continue to share “If I, as a writer, do not attach value the cradle of Buddhism, and home
“Get My Payment” tool. official had come to the aid of an ex- updates as we conduct our investiga- to books then how can we expect the to Hindus, Jains, Parsis, Kalasha,
Before you start entering your hausted mother to help her soothe tion and draw conclusions as a result common man to do so?” she asks. Ba’hais, Muslims, and so forth. These
information hourly, the IRS says the the baby while giving her a break. of that investigation.” “The real reason I asked for the communities will be included in the
tool “updates once per day, usually “A friend onboard @Offi- The suspect’s brother, Ali Aliwi Haq Mehr is to give value to books so dialogue and given a respectful voice.
overnight” and that people should cial_PIA Islamabad to Karachi early Al-Issa, reportedly told The Daily that we can also advise others to do the 4) Pakistan has a majority
not call the IRS. “Our phone assistors morning flight yesterday shared this. Beast that his brother is “very anti- same,” she says in conclusion. youth population (63 percent is be-
don’t have information beyond what’s A baby was crying non-stop, the social” and paranoid. The video went viral on Twitter, as tween 15 and 33). The universities of
available on IRS.gov,” the agency says. mother was exhausted and stressed, “When he was having lunch it garnered more than 29,000 views and the country are the hubs of potential
The third round of Economic she couldn’t comfort the child. So the with my sister in a restaurant, he was retweeted more than 350 times. change. The Higher Education Com-
Impact Payments will be based on head purser Mr Tauheed helped the said, ‘People are in the parking lot, mission of Pakistan (HEC) is the gov-
turn from either 2020 or 2019. That people to fly with,” read Alam’s tweet. out, and there was no one. We didn’t $1.4 Million Raised monitors and has the potential to di-
a taxpayer’s latest processed tax re- child sleep. Now that truly is GREAT they are looking for me.’ She went ernment body that directly oversees,
includes anyone who used the IRS Twitter praised the act of kind- know what was going on in his head,” from Silicon Valley rect the 200 legitimate universities of
non-filers tool last year, or submitted ness, with many sharing different Al-Issa reportedly told the outlet, the country.
a special simplified tax return. incidents of kindness done by crew adding that he believes his brother is Investors 5) Pakistan is a strategically
Social Security and other federal members with them. mentally ill. important country in the region of
beneficiaries will generally receive A Facebook page that appeared An Islamabad-based technology South Asia and instability here, in-
this third payment the same way as of birth, street address and ZIP code. to belong to Al-Issa showed that his startup has raised $1.4 million from cluding of ethnic and religious kind,
their regular benefits, the IRS said. For those who are eligible, the family had immigrated to the US Silicon Valley investors, reflecting the could have repercussions in the wider
But a date hasn’t been announced yet tool will show a “Payment Status” of from Syria. The page featured quotes growing tech ecosystem of Pakistan sub-region.
for when payments are expected for when the payment has been issued from the Prophet Muhammad as well — Reuters/File The role of Pakistani youth is of
individuals who receive benefits but and the payment date for direct de- as posts about mixed martial arts. Islamabad: An Islamabad-based particular importance. They come
didn’t file taxes in 2019 or 2020 and posit or mail, according to the IRS’ Police received reports of a technology startup has raised $1.4 mil- from diverse backgrounds but are
also didn’t use the IRS’s Non-Filer frequently asked questions. shooting just before 3 p.m. local time lion from Silicon Valley investors, re- united in their ambition to be active
tool. Not everyone who is eligible will on Monday, officials said. A witness flecting the growing tech ecosystem of change-makers as opposed to passive
On updated details about the have a payment date under “Payment told the Denver Post the gunman Pakistan. observers. In this regard, the youth
third stimulus payments, the IRS said Status” when they log in initially, the didn’t say anything before he began The round was led by Indus Val- of Pakistan, both young men and
again Monday that updates on the IRS said. According to the agency, shooting. ley Capital and also saw participation women, are actively working in edu-
timing of “payments for federal ben- the tool will be updated when the “He just came in and started from several renowned global investors cational, entrepreneurial and devel-
eficiaries, including non-filing ben- payment date is known. shooting,” the witness said. such as billionaire investor Tim Draper, opment sectors to create and sustain
eficiaries with a Direct Express card, ‘Payment Status Not Available’ Another witness said after the Hustle Fund Ventures and other well- real models of inclusive, peaceful,
is expected soon.” or ‘Need More Information’: Some gunman had “let off a couple of known angel investors from Silicon Val- and respectful societies. It is impera-
The IRS says more stimulus will get a message that says “Payment shots” he “was silent, and then he let ley. tive for the HEC and UN to tap into
checks are expected to be sent out Status Not Available.” off a couple more. He wasn’t spray- RemoteBase capitalized on the this resource and include Pakistan’s
this week and in coming weeks. “If you get this message, either ing.” pandemic and enabled Pakistani soft- youth representatives as active and
How to use IRS ‘Get My Pay- we have not yet processed your pay- The massacre in Boulder marks ware engineers and developers to work equal stakeholders to build peaceful,
ment’: The “Get My Payment” tool ment, or you are not eligible for a the second mass shooting in the U..in directly with Silicon Valley compa- inclusive and just societies.
is available at www.irs.gov/coronavi- payment,” the IRS said. “We will con- one week, after a gunman opened fire nies, creating a business model which It also needs to be stressed that
rus/get-my-payment. To use it, you’ll tinue to send the 2021 Economic Im- on three Atlanta-area massage par- attracted one of the largest invest- the vision of the United Nations, em-
need to enter your full Social Secu- pact Payment to eligible individuals lors, killing eight people including ment seed rounds for any Pakistani bedded in Agenda 2030 for Sustain-
rity number or tax ID number, date throughout 2021.” six Asian women. – National Review company. WEBINARS, P28
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