Musharraf's Special Envoys to the U.S. Congress Face Challenging Questions at PAL-C/PAKPAC Forum on the Hill

To view Voice of America’s Coverage of the Event in Urdu please click here.

Washington D.C., December 5, 2007 - At an open forum on the Hill jointly hosted by the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C), the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) and the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, Musharraf’s Special Envoys to the U.S. Congress faced challenging questions about recent steps taken by the Government of Pakistan including new restrictions on the media, the removal and house arrest of Supreme Court Justices, the house arrest of Aitzaz Ahsan - president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and questions about the independence of the Election Commission of Pakistan charged with overseeing the January parliamentary elections.

Not all questions were directed against President Musharraf however. Some audience members were critical of former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, who lead the two major opposition parties.  Questions were raised about their eligibility to participate in the upcoming January parliamentary elections given their history of alleged corruption.

The delegation of Special Envoys was comprised of Federal Minister Dr. Nasim Ashraf who headed the delegation, Federal Minister and Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, and former Member of the National Assembly Ms. Kashmala Tariq. The forum was ably moderated by Haider Mullick, an independent policy analyst with the prestigious Brookings Institution and a Pakistani-American.

The forum was well-attended by Members of Congress including Representative Dan Burton (R-IN) – co-chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, Representative Diane Watson (D-CA) – House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Vito Fossella (R-NY) among others. Staffers from both Member and Committee offices and the Pakistani American community attended in large numbers leading to a packed room with members of the domestic and international media on hand to capture the vibrant and often passionate dialogue.

Congressman Vito Fossella said the United States and Pakistan have maintained a strong relationship, particularly since 9/11 and favored strong economic and political ties between the two allies.

“Pakistan is a strategically reliable partner and we hope it will have democracy,” the Republican Congressman said.

Congresswoman Diane Watson, said President Musharraf’s taking off his military uniform is a “good sign” towards development of democracy in the country. “I see movement towards democracy.”

The Democratic representative welcomed the presidential envoys’ visit to the US capital, stating their facing divergent views and explaining things that are not normally projected in the media, will help promote understanding of issues.

“Pakistan is one of the closest partners and allies and we want it to have stability and democracy,” she stated.

Dr Nasim Ashraf, who led the Pakistan delegation said their interaction helped put issues related to recent events in Pakistan into proper context as well as address concerns created by “one-sided” portrayal of the situation. “This visit accomplished its mission --- we were able to communicate our viewpoint and also address concerns that existed because of the one-sided reports.”

“We were able to put things in their proper context, we may not have convinced everybody but we at least put forward our point of view ---but I can say categorically that there was greater understanding of the issues and expression of support for Pakistan in this critical transition period.”

“And across the board, we found one common feeling and that is that we stand with Pakistan --- we will support Pakistan and that we understand that a stable Pakistan is absolutely necessary for America’s interests and world peace” he said.

The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) is a professional Pakistani-American advocacy organization with an office located on Capitol Hill. It launched the Congressional Pakistan Caucus in May 2004 and works to raise awareness about Pakistani-American interests in Washington policy circles. Our activities include facilitating the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, liaising Pakistani officials and the community with Members of Congress, and mobilizing all Pakistani-Americans at the grassroots level. If you wish to learn more about PAL-C, please visit our website www.pal-c.org or email us at info@pal-c.org.

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