PAKPAC Urges President Obama to Visit Pakistan

Washington DC: PAKPAC, a nationwide Pakistani American advocacy group, applauds President Barack Obama's efforts to reach out to the Muslim world with his planned address from Cairo on June 4, and is urging the President to also include a short trip to Pakistan in his itinerary.

President Obama, during his campaign and at the inaugural address, has made it quite clear that his administration will be reaching out to the Muslim world to improve relationship with Muslim countries. He has thus raised the level of hope for a real change in our nation’s foreign and domestic policies. Pakistan, the second largest Muslim country of 170 million, should be another stop on President Obama’s visit in the Middle East.

Millions of people in the Swat region have become homeless, and are forced to live in tents under extreme weather conditions. These men, women and children are paying a phenomenal personal price for a war for which we the Americans, in the words of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, bear the primary responsibility for what happened during and after the Afghan war.

Now is the most opportune time for President Obama to visit Pakistan to affirm America's steadfast support to the people of Pakistan. His visit will give a major boost to US goodwill amongst Pakistanis, while building confidence of Americans in Pakistan.

President Obama’s administration has repeatedly acknowledged the centrality of Pakistan in US foreign policy. Such a trip will also strengthen Pakistani government's efforts to eradicate pockets of extremism in Pakistan. President Obama can use his trip to Pakistan to address not only the issues faced by Pakistanis, but also reinforce his call for greater partnership with the Muslim world, and assure them that US is not at war with Islam. PAKPAC believes that this visit will also be the right time for the President to announce a larger aid for the displaced people of Swat.##