Page 15 - Pakistan Link - January 20, 2023

COMMUNITY PAKISTAN LINK - JANUARY 20, 2023 - P15
US, Pakistan Share Long-Standing Over £150k Raised for Flood

Defense Partnership: Llyod Austin Relief at Jemima's Fundraiser

nglish screenwriter
nited States Secretary of and film producer
Defense Lloyd J Austin dis- E Jemima Goldsmith
U cussed areas of mutual inter- announced on Thursday
est and recent regional developments that £150k was raised for
in a phone call to Chief of Army Staff flood relief in Pakistan at
(COAS) General Asim Munir, the US a charity dinner at Benares
Department of Defense said Saturday. Restaurant in London.
This was the second high-level The event was held
interaction between US and Pakistani in aid of UNICEF's Paki-
defense authorities since General Mu- stan Floods Appeal and
nir took over as the army chief last year the Pakistan Environment
in November. Last month, US Central Trust. Jemima Goldsmith (left) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan
Command (Centcom) chief General Jemima thanked the (center) at a charity dinner at Benares Restaurant in London
Michael Erik Kurilla visited Pakistan US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin (left) and COAS General Asim Munir— AFP/Twitter/File attendees for their generous - Twitter/@Jemima_Khan
and met the army chief. donations for short- and
A statement issued by the defense country, General Michael Erik Ku- ghanistan border, the threat posed by long-term flood relief in the country. tastic evening" raised "vital funds" for
department quoted Austin as saying the rilla met with senior military leaders, terror groups in the region, ongoing She also appreciated the support of Pakistan.
US and Pakistan have a long-standing observed conditions and operations operations, and opportunities to in- the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Writer and granddaughter of ex-
defense and that he was looking for- along the Pakistan-Afghanistan bor- crease cooperation between Centcom In a tweet, the former wife of premier and president Zulfiqar Ali
ward to working with General Munir. der, and discussed opportunities to and the Pakistan Army. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Bhutto, Fatima Bhutto, also attended
“Today, I had the opportunity to strengthen the military-to-military During the visit, General Kurilla Imran Khan also shared an online the event.
congratulate General Asim Munir, relationship between Centcom and the also traveled to Peshawar to visit the XI donation link to collect funds for Pakistani journalist Ihtisham Ul
Pakistan’s newly appointed Chief of Pakistani forces. Corps Headquarters. UNICEF to help children affected by Haq was also present at the event. In
Army Staff,” the US defense secretary At the General Headquarters, General Kurilla and XI Corps the floods in the country and for the a tweet, he congratulated the Gold-
said in a statement. General Kurilla met with COAS Asim leaders traveled by helicopter to visit Pakistan Environment Trust, which is smiths for hosting a "wonderful"
During the phone call, the two Munir and Chairman of the Joint the Big Ben post overlooking the Khy- actively combating climate change in fundraiser.
military leaders discussed areas of mu- Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sa- ber Pass, where they observed border Pakistan. He added that at the event, the
tual interest as well as recent regional hir Shamshad Mirza. security and discussed the cross-bor- Sadiq Khan also shared a photo mayor of London spoke about climate
developments. The leaders discussed security der threat of terror groups operating alongside Jemima and her husband change and "how Pakistan is being af-
In his last month's visit to the cooperation, security along the Af- in Afghanistan. – The News Ben Goldsmith, adding that the "fan- fected the most". The Express Tribune

Anti-War Activists Reflect on Martin tions “we still have the problem of ernment review processes. But with- US spends more than $540 million nia. Weber’s duties also include over-
Luther King Jr’s Legacy Guantanamo.” out given a definitive release date, per year to detain the 35 prisoners. seeing the state’s archives division
(Continued from page 13) The humanitarian group calls those cleared could remain incar- In closing, Iman Saffet A. Cato- and registry of businesses.
atomic fallout and nuclear bombs. for not just the closing and abolish- cerated indefinitely. One obstacle to vic, head of the office of interfaith and In her remarks, Atkins praised
It is a period of conflict between the ment of the prison, but for the United release is finding a country – either community alliances at the Islamic Weber’s “leadership” and “morality”
mammoth powers. Every man, wom- States to acknowledge the “wrongdo- a detainee’s home country or a third Society of North America, noted hu- and called her “a tireless champion of
an and child lives, not knowing if they ing of Guantanamo,” she said. “Al- one – with the required security guar- mankind is “…made in the image of democracy,” adding that those char-
shall see tomorrow’s sunrise.” though it is hard to have any sem- antees necessary to establish a new God and are the children of God and acteristics are integral to performing
Chiseled on one of the many blance of hope, we must recognize life for a discharged prisoner. as such are entitled to dignity and the duties of Secretary of State.
granite panels with quotations by Dr and think of 2023 as the year when Two prisoners cleared for release respect.” He further called for justice Atkins told guests that she first
King that surround the plaza area of Guantanamo will finally be closed.” are Pakistani citizens Mohammad to be done in the United States and met Weber when she was 24 years
the memorial is one onto which the James Yee, a West Point graduate Ahmed Rabbani and his brother, Ab- throughout the world. “This stain old, and that Weber helped her run
following is inscribed “True peace is and former US Army Muslin chap- dul Rahim Ghulam Rabbani, seized on the conscience of humanity, this for state Assembly.
not merely the absence of tension; it lain at the Guantanamo Detention in 2002 and held in CIA black sites act of horror and criminality [must] For the first time in its history,
is the presence of justice.” Center in 2002 and 2003, pointed out until they were transferred to Guan- come to an end with the closing of California has three Black constitu-
Other sponsoring organizations that Amnesty International has called tanamo in September 2004. The Guantanamo.” tional officers. The others are Con-
also included Peace in Ukraine, The Guantanamo the “Gulag of our time.” brothers are expected to be repatri- (Elaine Pasquini is a freelance troller Malia M. Cohen and Super-
United National Anti-War Commis- In addition, he said, the Interna- ated to Pakistan this month. journalist. Her reports appear in intendent of Public Instruction Tony
sion (UNAC) and Code Pink. tional Committee of the Red Cross In October, Saifullah Paracha – the the Washington Report on Middle Thurmond.
Reflecting on the then state of so- has described the treatment of pris- oldest prisoner held in Guantanamo East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.) “You know, our constitutional
ciety in an era before computers and oners at Guantanamo as “tantamount – was released and reunited with his officers are unique, and I give credit
cell phones, King pointed out that to torture.” Major newspaper editori- family in Karachi. The 75-year-old had Shirley Weber Is Sworn in as to our Governor (Gavin Newsom)
sociology had lagged behind mod- als refer to Guantanamo as a “legal been incarcerated in the prison for 18 California’s First Elected Black and the people of California. There
ern advancements and continued black hole and leaders of every corner years but never charged with a crime. Secretary of State is no other list of constitutional of-
to reside in hate and distrust when of the globe have denounced Guan- Since the prison’s inception, ap- (Continued from page 14) ficers like this. Where do you have a
he said, “Through our scientific and tanamo,” he continued. “We are here proximately 540 prisoners were re- officially installed as SOS in April list of constitutional officers where it
technological genius, we have made today to try and bring justice to those leased during the George W. Bush ad- 2021. only has one White male in it? That
of this world a neighborhood and yet who have survived Guantanamo and ministration, 200 during the Barack Weber’s plan after serving in the is unheard of. The diversity (and) the
we have not had the ethical commit- to those prisoners who remain in Obama administration and President Legislature was to move to Ghana, fact that women are constitutional of-
ment to make of it a brotherhood.” Guantanamo, but I am here also to- Donald J. Trump only released one Africa, and “build a house up in the ficers in California is historic.”
While we honor Dr King’s mem- day to remember the nine prisoners prisoner. In addition, one detainee hills.” That all changed when New- Weber’s daughter, Assem-
ory on this day, we all must remain who died at Guantanamo, seven re- was sent to the United States for trial som called. blymember Akilah Weber (D-San Di-
actively engaged in seeing that his “I portedly by suicide.” All were being and is now serving a life sentence in a “It was hard for me to think ego) was the ceremony’s emcee while
had a dream” speech becomes a real- held indefinitely without charge. federal prison in Kentucky. about becoming Secretary of State be- Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-
ity for the fulfillment and the better- Because of his personal objec- Afghan citizens were most rep- cause I was so content in the Assem- Pasadena) provided the invocation.
ment of all humankind. tions to the abuse and torture of the resented among the detainees over bly,” Weber said. “When I was asked David Bauman’s African drumming
Photos by Phil Pasquini prisoners held in Guantanamo, Yee time. Many had been handed over to be Secretary of State, I thought hard and musical selections by Dr Tecoy
(Phil Pasquini is a freelance was arrested and held in solitary con- to the United States by Afghan and and long about it. I realized that ev- Porter, pastor of Genesis Church
journalist and photographer. His finement for 76 days while being false- Pakistani security forces early in the erything about the Secretary of State Sacramento and President of the Na-
reports and photographs appear in ly accused of aiding the “terrorist en- US invasion of Afghanistan. was central to my life. I thought to tional Action Network Sacramento
the Washington Report on Middle emy.” After an extensive investigation, According to the Geneva Con- myself that I am always the one taking Chapter and his Genesis Church
East Affairs and Nuze.ink. He is the all charges against him were dropped. ventions of 1949, “Prisoners of war the hard challenges. I said who bet- choir were the entertainment. We-
author of Domes, Arches and Mina- Presently, 35 men – the major- shall be released and repatriated ter than a kid of sharecroppers, who ber’s son, Akil Weber provided the
rets: A History of Islamic-Inspired ity of whom have never been charged without delay after the cessation of never had a chance to vote, who could closing statements.
Buildings in America.) with a crime – remain incarcerated active hostilities.” fight for the rights of voters.” “Words cannot express how truly
within the 45-square-mile US Naval Beyond the human tragedy and The Secretary of State is the chief proud I am of what my mother has
Human Rights Defenders Call for base on which the high-security pris- moral costs of operating the prison, elections officer of the State, responsi- done, what she will continue to do,
Closure of Guantanamo on is located. American taxpayers are paying a high ble for overseeing and certifying elec- the door she has opened, the legacy
(Continued from page 13) Twenty detainees have been price to keep the facility open. Ac- tions, as well as testing and certifying she is creating,” Assemblymember
21years and four administra- cleared for release by high-level gov- cording to Human Rights Watch, the voting equipment for use in Califor- Akilah Weber said of her mother.
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