Announcement

PAKPAC wishes its readers Ramdan Mubarik

In this blessed month families become closer, and communities strengthen their foundations. Paksiatni American Muslims are asked to promote neighborhood and community outreach with their non-Muslim community members. Individual and community outreach and interaction are key to reversing the current growth in anti-Muslim sentiment in USA. Many surveys have repeatedly found that if a non-Muslim knows a Muslim on a personal level there is much less likelihood of stereotypical views of Islam. CAIR has created a Ramadan Resource Guide that can be used for community outreach.

PAKPAC also reminds its readers to appropriate a generous portion of their charity towards the people of Pakistan. The lasting effects of last year’s floods continue to overshadow daily life of flood victims, and diseases such as skin infections and diarrhoea, caused by a lack of clean water, sanitation and hygiene, still linger across flood-affected areas of Pakistan. According to OXFAM, around 800,000 victims are still without shelter even a year after the floods.  For your reference following are some of the charities providing relief work in Pakistan.

Acumen Fund: http://www.acumenfund.org/

Aga Khan Development Network: http://www.akdn.org/

Al-Khidmat Foundation: http://al-khidmatfoundation.org/

APWA: http://www.apwapakistan.com/

Behbud Foundation: http://www.behbud.org/

DIL - Developments in Literacy: http://dil.org/

EDHI Foundation: http://www.edhifoundation.com/

Helping Hand: http://www.helpinghandsworldwid e.com/

Hidaya foundation: http://www.hidaya.org/

House of Charity:  http://www.houseofcharity.com/

Human Development Foundation (HDF): http://www.yespakistan.com/

International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC): http://www.icrc.org/

International Medical Corps: http://www.imcworldwide.org/

IRC - The International Rescue Committee: http://www.theirc.org/

Islamic Relief: http://www.irw.org/

LBRT - Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust: http://www.lrbt.org.pk/

Oxfam: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/

Pakistan Red Crescent Society: http://www.prcs.org.pk/

Sarhad Rural Support Programme: http://www.srsp.org.pk/ 

SARID http://www.sarid.net/

Shaukat Khanum Trust: http://www.behbud.org/

The Citizens Foundation http://www.thecitizensfoundatio n.org/  

RSPN - The Rural Support Programmes Network: http://www.rspn.org/

Ramadan Background Info: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar-that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays "move" each year. In 2011, Ramadan begins at sundown on July 31st. For more than a billion Muslims around the world-including some 6-8 million in North America-Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity.

News

More strings attached to Pakistan aid

The foreign affairs committee of the lower house of the United States Congress voted late on Thursday night on a bill that included provisions attaching several conditions to civilian aid to Pakistan.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to pass the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012. The bill was passed by a 23-20 vote, after two days of debate amongst a sharply divided committee split on party lines. Most of the Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with most of the Democrats voting against it.

The bill includes new conditions attached to US assistance to Pakistan. According to a draft of the bill, the Secretary of State must testify that Pakistan is co-operating with the United States on a range of issues, from access to Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, evidence collected from the site and his family, to action taken against the Haqqani network and the alleged network of cells that manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the country.

During the debate on the bill, Democratic party member and Ranking Member of the committee Representative Howard Berman said that in the past few weeks, they have seen reports suggesting that Pakistani intelligence agencies tipped off insurgents that were running IED-producing factories and that the intelligence agency was linked to Saleem Shahzad’s murder.

“For far too long our relationship with Pakistan focused on supporting military and not civilian leaders. Under the previous administration we gave them a blank check,” said Berman.

However, said Berman, the United States cannot penalize the Pakistani people for the mistakes of its army. There must be a focus on strengthening Pakistan’s civilian institutions.

Berman also criticized the condition mentioned in the bill that requires Pakistan to issue visas to US counter-terrorism officers, saying that it strengthens the perception in Pakistan that the US is infringing on Pakistan’s sovereignty. Berman said that the issuance of visas is a decision for the Pakistani government to make.

The issuance of visas to US officials has been a bone of contention between the two countries for some months now. After the Raymond Davis affair, the Pakistan Army asked US trainers to leave the country, prompting the US Government to announce that there was a freeze on nearly $500 million in US assistance that was earmarked for military equipment for Pakistan and trainers.

Amongst other cuts to foreign aid, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act also proposes slashing aid to countries that do not vote with the United States more than 50% of the time in the United Nations’ sessions.

The bill is now due to go to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote, following which the Senate will vote on it before the bill can become a law. The Republican party has a majority in the House of Representatives, whereas the Democratic party leads the Senate.

RELATED NEWS:

• PAKPAC and PAL-C wrote a joint letter to Speaker Boehner and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Chairwoman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs asking them not to impose additional conditions on already meager US assistance to Pakistan. Read a copy of letter.
• South Asia Center Director Shuja Nawaz testified before the House Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, at a hearing entitled "Reassessing American Grand Strategy in South Asia." Accompanying Mr. Nawaz on the panel were: Dr. Aparna Pande, resident fellow of the Hudson Institute, Mr. John Tkacik, Jr., president of China Business Intelligence, and Mr. Sadanand Dhume, research fellow of the American Enterprise Institute. Read Complete prepared remarks

Pakistani British boxer Amir Khan retains his WBA title

Pakistani British boxer Amir Khan put on an impressive performance, dominating Zab Judah over five rounds and scoring a fifth-round knockout of Judah in Las Vegas to take Judah's IBF junior welterweight belt while retaining his WBA title.

He used his speed and his height advantage and thoroughly dominated Zab Judah. And that was before he landed a hard right hand on the beltline and knocked him out in the fifth round to unify junior welterweight titles Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Ever since England's Khan stormed the American shores in May 2010, he has said he wanted to fight the best the 140-pound division had to offer. It's not just lip service. He's doing it. He got warm with a dominant knockout of former titlist Paulie Malignaggi in Malignaggi's hometown of New York. Then he came to the same Mandalay Bay ring in December and survived a grueling battle with Marcos Maidana in the 2010 Boxing Writers Association of America fight of the year. Read More

Whole Foods retail chain to celebrate Ramadan

Whole Foods has become the first prominent supermarket chain to run a Ramadan marketing campaign. Whole Foods is teaming up with Halal frozen entree brand Saffron Road (who sell a variety of Indian-, Thai-, and Moroccan-flavored dinners) to host several promoted blog items on Whole Foods' website along with sponsored giveaways of Saffron Road food and supermarket gift certificates. Additional content for the campaign is being added by Yvonne Maffei of the My Halal Kitchen blog. While it is a relatively small promotion, it also marks a new benchmark for the Muslim-American community: the first coordinated Ramadan promotion by a national supermarket chain.

No in-store promotions for the campaign are planned, instead, in an apparent attempt to test the waters, the promotion will start online. The "campaign focuses on reaching Muslim consumers online where they are already having conversations about halal foods, grocery shopping, and preparing for Ramadan," Saffron Road spokesperson Lisa Mabe tells Fast Company. Saffron Road maintains a heavy social media presence and an ongoing charitable relationship with Whole Foods' Whole Planet foundation, and hopes the promotion will further strengthen their brand awareness.

Pakistani Students Prepare for U.S. Fulbright Program  

Over 125 students gathered at the Serena Hotel to kick off their pre-departure orientation for the U.S. government-funded Fulbright Scholarship program. The Fulbright Scholarship awards cover travel, living stipends, health insurance and tuition for the entire period of study for Masters or Doctoral degrees at American universities.  This orientation program, which is organized by the U.S. Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP), plays a key role in preparing students with the required skills, attitude, and knowledge to study successfully in the United States. 

Speaking to the students, U.S. Embassy Consular for Public Affairs Mark Davidson said “We are very fortunate to have the world’s largest Fulbright Program in Pakistan. This is one example of the U.S. government’s long-term commitment to the education of Pakistanis and to increasing mutual understanding between both countries.” Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman, Dr. Javed Laghari, also advised the students.

Of the 94 students studying in Masters Programs and 32 in Ph.D. program, 37 percent are women.  The Fulbright scholars come from all regions of Pakistan, including Azad Kashmir, Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, and are studying a wide variety of academic disciplines, such as public policy, health, social sciences and fine arts.  The students are required to return to Pakistan after completion of their studies to play a positive role in the country’s economic and social development.

In 2011, Fulbright scholarships allowed 386 Pakistanis to study in the U.S. Since USEFP’s inception more than 60 years ago, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and 800 Americans have participated in USEFP administered exchange programs.  The Fulbright program is one of many U.S.-government funded educational, professional, and cultural exchange programs in Pakistan. More information about all U.S.-funded exchange programs can be accessed on the U.S. Embassy website (http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/).

CAIR, UC Berkeley Report Documents Growing Islamophobia in U.S.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Race and Gender released a report based on available data and interviews with experts that documents growing Islamophobia in the United States and offers recommendations about how to challenge the troubling phenomenon. The groundbreaking report -- titled "Same Hate, New Target: Islamophobia and Its Impact in the United States 2009-2010" -- offers a definition of Islamophobia as a "close-minded prejudice against or hatred of Islam and Muslims" and an overview of its growing negative impact in the United States. After defining the term, the report states: "It is not appropriate to label all, or even the majority of those, who question Islam and Muslims as Islamophobes."

Special sections in the report focus on the manufactured controversy over the Park 51 Islamic community center in Manhattan, the 2010 Oklahoma ballot initiative targeting Islamic principles (Sharia) and Islamophobia in the 2010 elections.

Recommendations in this first annual report are directed toward American Muslims and their institutions. The report states: "This is a reflection of our belief that American Muslims must take the lead in pushing back against Islamophobia. Read Complete Report

Killings in Norway Spotlight Anti-Muslim Thought in U.S.

The man accused of the killing spree in Norway was deeply influenced by a small group of American bloggers and writers who have warned for years about the threat from Islam, lacing his 1,500-page manifesto with quotations from them, as well as copying multiple passages from the tract of the Unabomber. In the document he posted online, Anders Behring Breivik, who is accused of bombing government buildings and killing scores of young people at a Labor Party camp, showed that he had closely followed the acrimonious American debate over Islam.

His manifesto, which denounced Norwegian politicians as failing to defend the country from Islamic influence, quoted Robert Spencer, who operates the Jihad Watch Web site, 64 times, and cited other Western writers who shared his view that Muslim immigrants pose a grave danger to Western culture.

More broadly, the mass killings in Norway, with their echo of the 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City by an antigovernment militant, have focused new attention around the world on the subculture of anti-Muslim bloggers and right-wing activists and renewed a debate over the focus of counterterrorism efforts.  Read More

Events & Activities

PAKPAC Conducts Organized Advocacy Workshop at AAPNA Annual Convention

Dr. Muhammad  Suleman, President of The Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PakPAC), opened the workshop by welcoming all of the participants. He gave a brief introduction of PakPAC and then introduced Dr. Saud Anwar, the ex-President of PakPAC.

Dr. Anwar encouraged the Pakistani community to take an aggressive approach toward their rights and responsibilities by investing time and interest in political offices locally and nationally.

Dr. Salman Malik,  President-elect of PakPAC, and Dr. Manzoor Tariq, President of The Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA), also briefly spoke about the importance of PakPAC and praised its contributions to the lives of Pakistani Americans.

The workshop started with the introduction of Professor Faizan Haq, who teaches “Intercultural Communication” at the State University of New York at Buffalo as well as “USA and the Muslim World” and “Islamic Cultural History” at the University of Buffalo.

Then a short movie was shown with background music from the group “Janoon”. The movie  emphasized that developing cultural identity helps to connect with any community, and that a sense of community is imperative to be able to do the grassroots advocacy which is at the foundation of all organized advocacy efforts.

According to Professor Haq, advocacy is mostly viewed by the Pakistani-American community as “writing checks to the senators and occasionally visiting Capitol Hill -- and, if you are lucky, the White House -- or interviewing with some big media outlet.”

It was stressed in the presentation that these activities are certainly a part of organized advocacy, but they are just a part and it is certainly not all there is to organized advocacy.  Organized advocacy, was explained, requires community-wide teamwork where all aspects of political, social, and cultural activism come to play key pivotal roles in effective and successful advocacy.  In summary, the audience were left with a very clear understanding that Identity equals  Community, and Community equals  Power.

Participants were asked to write down answers to two questions as the first part of the workshop. The questions were:

1.                   What are the five major challenges that we are facing in the United States as individuals and as a community?

 

2.                   If you find your family and yourself at risk, what costs are we paying for these challenges as individuals and as a community?

Prof. Haq introduced a team-building activity, “Carrying the Ball to the End”, in which participants of all ages contributed enthusiastically.  The answers to the questionnaire were collected and then randomly redistributed to the audience to reflect and rate the priorities of the feedback received from their fellow participants.

In the second part of the workshop the answers to additional two questions were requested from a very engaged audience. The questions were:

1.                   What solutions come to your mind to meet these challenges successfully?

 

2.                   What concrete steps are you willing to take personally as a stakeholder in the future of your family and community?

Once again the answers were collected and then randomly redistributed so that the audience could reflect and rate the choices of their fellow participants. 

An additional report will be developed by Prof. Haq based on information collected at the workshop to share with PakPAC board members and supporters. His workshop ended with renewed commitments by the participants to become more active in organized advocacy efforts and to continue to support PakPAC.

Later, a question and answer session was moderated by President-Elect Dr. Salman Malik. Many insights to PakPAC’s history were shared by present and past board members.  Speakers included Dr. Pervaiz Shah, Dr. Arif Muslim, and Dr. Arif Toor. 

PAKPAC BOARD MEETS WITH SENATOR BOB CASEY(D-PA)

At the 34^th Annual Summer Convention on July 2, 2011, PAKPAC held a private fundraiser for the keynote speaker, Senator Robert Casey from Pennsylvania.  He is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is the chairman of the subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs.

The meeting was conducted by PAKPAC President Mohammed Suleman, along with several board members.  The goal was to present issues important to the Pakistani-American community.

PAKPAC feels it is imperative that we, as a community, educate our leaders in the importance of understanding the Pakistani perspective.  US-Pakistan relations have been strained to the limit and it is vital for the Pakistani-American community to act.  Part of the problem lies in the lack of adequate communication between the two nations.  Our Pakistani-American community can play an important role in educating our Senators and Congresspersons about what the average Pakistani thinks.

One important topic discussed by the Board was a request to evaluate how visas are issued to Pakistani medical students. There have been far too many cases where visas have been delayed.  This has caused a statistical decrease in the number of Pakistani residents starting their residency in a timely fashion.  Many are eventually unable to have the opportunity to come to the United States and train.  It is imperative that the system regulating this process be evaluated so that visas can be obtained in a more timely fashion.  Senator Casey has promised to help in this matter, including have a closed-door hearing, if necessary.

PAKPAC requested Senator Casey to help the Pakistani-American community obtain more access to employment opportunities at the federal level. In order for us to have a voice in our country, we need to be given the chance to grow and learn the political system.  He has agreed to help PAKPAC in this cause. 

                A growing problem that needs to be addressed (and was discussed) is the treatment of Pakistanis at airports.  Unfortunately, most of the names in watch lists are of Muslim origin.  If a name matches one on the list, the system is slow at clearing those who were mistakenly identified.  We need to have the State Department devise a more efficient screening process that does not involve discrimination of any sort.

Viewpoint

The Limits of U.S. Assistance to Pakistan - Colin Cookman

The U.S. decision to defer nearly $800 million in counterterrorism funding to Pakistan is the latest turn in a downward spiral of U.S.-Pakistan relations. Given the ejection of U.S. military trainers from Pakistan, ongoing concerns over the misuse of U.S. aid dollars, and mounting evidence of Pakistani complicity with insurgent groups, this step was necessary. But a more comprehensive review of all aid to Pakistan is now essential to weigh the costs and benefits of our assistance and determine the best aid package for advancing U.S. security interests in both Pakistan and the broader region.

Ties between the two countries have suffered a series of blows over the past year as both sides trade mutual recriminations over a CIA contractor arrested after shooting and killing two men in Lahore, the ouster of U.S. intelligence officials, the unilateral U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, and the assassination of a Pakistani journalist allegedly involving Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

These incidents highlight a deeper tension. The United States perceives Pakistan as unable or unwilling to take decisive action against militant groups operating on its territory and attacking U.S. armed forces and our allies in Afghanistan. On the other hand, many Pakistani officials believe the United States is regularly bypassing and using Pakistan to further its own short-term security objectives and to establish a political system in Afghanistan that has the potential to directly threaten Pakistan’s security. Read More

India-Pakistan Rivalry Afghanistan's "Gordian Knot" Barbara Slavin

U.S. hopes to withdraw forces and leave behind a stable Afghanistan may rest on whether Pakistan and India can lower bilateral tensions and refrain from using Afghan territory for a new proxy war.

Talks Wednesday in New Delhi between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan ended with an upbeat assessment that these historic rivals can improve relations. S.M. Krishna of India and Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar pledged to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism and reduce restrictions on trade and travel in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Regional experts say improving economic and people-to-people ties are key to reducing the chances for conflict between two nuclear-armed countries that have fought three wars since partition in 1947 and come close to war several times in the past 12 years. Read More

Upcoming Seminars at Think Tanks

To get information about future seminars and events relating to US-Pakistan relations, please visit the following websites

Atlantic Council

Brookings Institution

Council on Foreign Relations

Heritage Foundation

Middle East Institute

SAIS

Woodrow Wilson Center