PAL-C Press Releases and Events

WASHINGTON D.C., April 12, 2008 – PAL-C met with Pakistan Finance and Economic Minister Mr. Ishaq Dar to address the economic outlook of Pakistan, investment opportunities within Pakistan and challenges the nation faces as the new government moves forward. Mr. Ishaq Dar presented a comprehensive plan to address the current challenges faced by Pakistan’s economy including the issuance of a new $1 billion convertible bond and a renewed focus on manufacturing and agriculture - including government price supports for certain agricultural products and investment in agricultural technology to increase crop yields. He further advocated a system of “progressive taxation” (i.e. one in which people who earn more are taxed more, while people who earn less are taxed less). More  

Islamabad, April 24, 2008: The United States Director of Foreign Assistance and Administrator of USAID, Henrietta H. Fore, and Federal Minister for Education Ahsan Iqbal today launched a $90 million project to strengthen basic education in Pakistan. The new project, ED-LINKS, is designed to improve teachers education, increase students learning, better learning environments and strengthen the ability of the public education sector to provide high-quality, effective services to students and teachers. ED-LINKS will operate in Sindh, Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Territory and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. More  

Washington D.C., April 11, 2008 – After months of calling for the lifting of media restrictions, PAL-C is pleased that Pakistan's new government has moved to withdraw the restrictions on the media that were imposed by President Pervez Musharraf last year.

Minister Sherry Rahman has introduced a parliamentary bill proposing to end the ban on live broadcasts.

It also proposes to scrap punishments for journalists who "defame" the president, the government or the army. More  

California State Sen. Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) has picked a Muslim community activist from Fremont as "woman of the year" in her district. Pakistani American Moina Shaiq, 49, active in Fremont's largest mosque - the Islamic Society of the East Bay, and co-founder of the Muslim Support Network, which provides linguistic and cultural outreach, transportation and health services, was told of the honor Feb. 12. Shaiq will receive a breakfast in Sacramento and a tour of the senate floor and will be honored at a reception held by the women's caucus. "I felt very overwhelmed and humbled on getting this recognition," Shaiq said in a release from Corbett's office. "I feel very honored because my goal is to work toward the common good of the community. I want to build bridges and contribute to our community as much as I can." More  

LOS ANGELES, CA:  Calling for unimpeded US assistance for the new democratic government in Pakistan, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz said the two countries should focus on strengthening the relationship, deepening and broadening multi-faceted cooperation, and promoting greater people-to-people friendship.  More  

BENSALEM, PA., Prominent Pakistani-American entrepreneur Dr. Raza Bokhari met U.S. presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama in Bucks County, Pa., on March 11, 2008. During the meeting, Bokhari presented Obama with a self-authored white paper containing suggestions on ways to reduce anti-American sentiments in Pakistan.  More   Download the White Paper Here  

WASHINGTON D.C., February 20, 2008 – After years of service to the Pakistani American community, Dr. Raza Bokhari has formally joined the Pakistani American Leadership Center’s Board of National Directors. PAL-C welcomes the addition of Dr. Bokhari who brings an enormous wealth of experience and talent to the organization as well as a strong background in Pakistani-American advocacy. More  

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE - Lt. Ali Jivanjee performed a unique balancing act as an American Air Force fighter jet pilot and a devout Muslim. His casket - draped in an American flag and carried by men in traditional Pakistani clothes - somberly captured that for mourners during his traditional Muslim burial last week. On Wednesday, more than 500 squadron members, friends and relatives gathered for another memorial at Eglin Air Force Base's 58th Fighter Squadron. More  

Karachi, Pakistan, February 19, 2008 – PAL-C National Director Mr. Pervaiz Lodhie served as an International Election Observer in Karachi, Pakistan, during the 2008 Pakistani Parliamentary Elections. Mr. Lodhie visited eight polling stations in Karachi throughout the day observing, "In every polling station I observed exactly the same fully transparent and accountable voting process. The process was foolproof from any kind of errors or rigging or casting of bad votes. Each voter had a voter ID detail card prepared by Voter camps outside the Polling Stations. Inside, each Polling Station had two voting rooms set up for voting by men and two for voting by women." "I spoke with almost all the Polling Agents in all the Stations I visited. All the agents, including both men and women, very clearly indicated 100% trust and satisfaction with the voting accuracy." More Download Full Report Here  

Indianapolis City-Councilman Andre Carson, grandson of Congresswoman Julia Carson, became the first Muslim in Indiana history to be nominated as the Democratic Party’s candidate for Congress. Carson competed against 7 other Democrats in the Marion County Democratic Party Caucus and defeated the other candidates.  It never had to go to a second ballot this morning. Andre Carson, Julia Carson’s grandson, emerged as the clear winner with over 220 votes. He needed a majority of over 100 to win. State Rep. David Orentlicher came in second. He was the only other candidate who scored in the triple digits.  More  

American IT Center of Los Angeles, California and Phonecast of Karachi, Pakistan recently signed an agreement for the establishment of a Call Center/IT Center in Karachi. The agreement was signed in Karachi by Mr Arif Mansuri, President of American IT Center who is also the President and Managing Editor of Pakistan Link, and Mr Abdullah Butt, Chief Executive of Phonecast, a leading IT company in Pakistan. Mr Mansuri is a leading industrialist/entrepreneur and a prominent member of the Pakistani-American community serving as a Director of the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C). More  

Imran Khan calls for Independent Judiciary, Democracy; PPP demands UN Probe into Bhutto Assassination, Free and Fair Elections

Washington D.C., January 22, 24, 2008 – In separate meetings, the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) met with Imran Khan, Chairman of Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) and representatives of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).  More  

Relatives Mourn Mom, 3 Daughters Killed In Pond Crash - Widower Plans Move, Saying Memories Too Painful. Inna-lillahi wa'inna ilayhi raji'un. - To God we belong, and to Him is our Return. We ask God to give patience to the Abbas family, and forgiveness and mercy to those that passed away. Ameen.  More  

Washington D.C., December 18, 2007 – The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) extends a heartfelt Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid) to all of its members. Taqabbala Allahu minna wa minkum (May God accept the good deeds from us, and from you). This year Eid al Adha will fall on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007. As the year 2007 comes to a close, the PAL-C Board and staff would also like to thank you for your ongoing participation in helping to build a stronger and more vibrant America through your support of PAL-C and the Pakistani American community.  More  

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.  More   Video Coverage in Urdu

Washington D.C., November 11, 2007 – The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) partnered with Unity Production Foundations (UPF) to promote the film “Prince Among Slaves,” the 2007 Winner for Best Documentary at the 2007 American Black Film Festival. PAL-C National Director Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry, is one of the underwriters of the film. More

Washington D.C., November 6, 2007 - The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) in a joint press conference with the co-chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, called for an immediate end to the state of emergency in Pakistan, Musharraf to adhere to his commitment to step down as Chief of the Pakistani Army, and for elections to held in mid January as scheduled.   More

Washington D.C., November 4, 2007 - The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) is gravely concerned about the proclamation of a state of emergency by the government of Pakistan and the subsequent suspension of the Constitution, suppression of the news media, and detaining of lawyers, politicians, human rights activists and others. More

WASHINGTON D.C., October 23 – Representatives from the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) met with Dr. Salman Shah, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Finance and Economy and Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan at a reception hosted by the U.S.-Pakistani Business Council. The meetings were very productive and cast the growing Pakistani economy in a very positive light. Dr. Salman Shah in particular, noted that the more foreign investors invest in Pakistan, “the better it [the investment climate for foreign investors] gets."   Pictures

Washington D.C., October 29, 2007 - The Pakistani American Leadership Center’s (PAL-C) Executive Director, Mr. Taha Gaya met with scholar, author and peacemaker Mr. Tridivesh Singh Maini at The Alliance for Peacebuilding. Maini is a proponent of peace in South Asia and espouses the idea that if Pakistan and India can build a positive and peaceful relationship it would directly rebut the concept of a “Clash of Civilizations,” since it would be an example of two nations originally divided along religious lines working together harmoniously. More

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 24, 2007 - The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) would like to extend its deepest and most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those affected by the California fires. At the time of this writing, the fires have consumed nearly 500,000 acres of land and displaced nearly half a million residents in Southern California. More

WASHINGTON D.C., October 11, 2007 - Distinguished author and international advisor on Islamic issues, Ambassador Akbar Ahmed and industrialist and PAL-C National Director Arif Zaffar Mansuri were on hand as Jones Knowledge Group launched its new online offering Understanding Islam with great success at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  Developed by an esteemed group of Islamic scholars, led by Ambassador Ahmed, the course creates a foundation for understanding, mutual respect and constructive engagement, and teaches learners new skills to affect more positive interaction with the Islamic world. More

WASHINGTON D.C., October 10, 2007 – Following the success of the KCCI delegation’s visit to Washington D.C. hosted by the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C), PAL-C was once again asked to facilitate and host a delegation of Pakistan’s leading industrialists in cooperation with Minister of Trade at the Embassy of Pakistan, Azmat Ali Ranjha. Acting under severe time constraints, PAL-C managed to use its considerable influence with Members of Congress (particularly those on the Pakistan Caucus with whom PAL-C maintains close relationships) to arrange meetings between the two parties and also facilitated meetings with other federal agencies and think tanks. More

Washington D.C., October 10, 2007 – The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) extends a heartfelt early Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid) to all of its members. Taqabbala Allahu minna wa minkum (May God accept the good deeds from us, and from you). This year Eid-ul Fitr will fall on either Friday, October 12 or Saturday, October 13.  More

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 21, 2007 – Representatives from the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) met with Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at a Capitol Hill iftar hosted by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). In attendance representing PAL-C were PAL-C National Directors Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry and Mr. Mossadaq Chughtai and PAL-C Executive Director Taha Gaya. Also present at the iftar was the Honorable Representative Keith Ellison from Minnesota who is the first Muslim-American elected to Congress.  More   Text of OIC Speech

Mr. Sadiq has three Master degrees including one in International Affairs from Columbia University, U.S.A. He joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1980 and has served in Brussels, Beijing and also as Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) in Washington, DC where he was highly regarded and respected for his work by many members of the Pakistani-American community all over the United States.

While serving as the DCM in Washington DC, Sadiq was very instrumental and played a key role in improving U.S.-Pakistan relations, the large scale electronic communication and database of the Pakistani-American Community, and the integration of second generation, younger Pakistani Americans into the mainstream activities of the community and Embassy.   more

KARACHI  - The United States has initiated a long term program to bring prosperity in economically depressed areas with the objective of increasing the strength of Pakistan from an economic point of view stated the new Consul General of the United States, Kay L. Anske during her luncheon meeting with the president and members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Majyd Aziz. She said legislation was being prepared in Congress and it is hoped that approval would be forthcoming within a couple of months. She pointed out that the Reconstruction Opportunities Zones (ROZs) concept is a revolutionary idea and the output produced in these designated industrial areas will be eligible for duty free access to US.....more

Washington D.C., August 22, 2007 – The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) extends a heartfelt Ramadan Mubarak to all of its members. This month is special because the Qur’an (Islamic holy scripture) was first revealed during this month. Ramadan is the month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from the break of dawn to sunset each day. The fast is performed to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments. Fasting (along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the “five pillars” of Islam. The end of Ramadan will be marked by communal prayers called “Eid ul-Fitr,” or Feast of the Fast-Breaking, on October 13, 2007.....more

This trip to the US was the first ever by any KCCI delegation. We didn’t go for any individual gains, and the main objective was to promote Pakistan. We discussed bilateral trade, intellectual property rights, market access, the image of Pakistan as an investment hub, prospects of SMEs, etc. We went to convince that America needs to invest here, especially Americans of Pakistani origin as their roots are in Pakistan. An interesting fact that we noticed was that Americans are finally accepting Pakistan as an investment hub with good opportunities other than India with whom they’ve always had strong ties......more

Saath approached nationally renowned researchers at UCLA to lend their expertise in conducting a study to determine how culture affects the cancer experience which could help in the development of a program to meet the needs of those affected by the disease. South Asian Women with Breast Cancer: What Are Their Needs? is funded by the California Department of Health Services, Breast Cancer Research Program and is headed by Dr. Roshan Bastani, Dr. Beth Glenn and Zul Surani of Saath. The purpose of the present study is to conduct a needs assessment by interviewing South Asian women with breast cancer.....more

PRESS RELEASE: Washington D.C., August 22, 2007 – The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) would like to extend a warm welcome to Taha Gaya as its new Executive Director.  Mr. Gaya previously worked for Congress on the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary as a Legal Fellow and is a licensed attorney in the State of California.

PAL-C would also like to announce the departure of former Executive Director Ali Chaudhry who is leaving PAL-C to pursue a law degree at Albany Law School in New York. Although sad that Mr. Chaudhary is leaving the organization after such a successful tenure, PAL-C wishes Mr. Chaudhry the greatest of successes in both his academic and legal career......more

The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) is proud to offer full and unflinching support to a dear friend, Mr. Zafar Tahir of Houston, Texas as he begins his political campaign for City Council, At-Large Position 5 in the city of Houston....more..  

PAL-C Board Member Mr. Pervaiz Lodhie was interviewed by Omar Khan on GEO TV’s program “Jaiza” on November 26th at 3:05pm EST (12:05pm Pacific). The show was titled, “A Pak-American Success story"...more..

PAL-C Board Member Mr. Mossadaq Chughtai was interviewed on GEO TV’s program Safeer-e-Pakistan that aired on September 11 at 5:05pm EST. Mr. Chughtai discussed various issues including PAL-C’s role in the community...more..

News Articles on Pakistan and USA

US says it’s not against talks with militants for peace

Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher indicated on Wednesday that Pakistan had taken the United States into confidence before initiating a dialogue with the militants and said that the US was not against any talks that would lead to peace. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told a briefing that the United States, however, wanted to ensure that the pledges to end violence and militant activities in the tribal areas were enforced. Signaling US endorsement of Pakistan’s move, the senior State Department official said: “It is important to negotiate with the tribes …to end violence, to end suicide bombing and to end the plotting and planning that happens there. The problem is in enforcement … it is the outcome that matters.” More...

‘We Will Not be Blackmailed’

In an exclusive interview, Pakistan's new prime minister spells out his plans for fighting terrorism and stabilizing his volatile country. NEWSWEEK: Your new government is facing myriad problems: terrorism, extremism, an economic and financial crisis, power and food shortages and inflation. What's your priority?
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani: What I personally feel is that political stability leads to economic stability. My priority would be to control the law-and-order situation in the country, so we have to discourage this extremism and terrorism. That's what is affecting our economy. Law and order is affecting foreign investment, and internally it's becoming an acute problem because we have to spend a lot on defense. More...

Pakistan’s government changes ties on K Street

The newly elected Pakistani government is seeking to change its lobbying ties in Washington. With the party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto now in power, several lobbying contracts signed under President Pervez Musharraf’s government will be terminated. One of Washington’s top lobbying firms, Van Scoyoc Associates, will see its contract with the Pakistani Embassy end on May 22. Public relations giant Ogilvy will also see its contract canceled in coming weeks. The change is expected because new administrations almost always change their representation in Washington. Embassy officials said that the termination is not a reflection of the representation work under Van Scoyoc. More...

Obama's World

Did that inform your approach to Pakistan?
What it tells me is that the most important aspect of our foreign policy is not simply our relations with the rulers of these countries, but also our appreciation and understanding of the challenges, the hardships and the struggles that ordinary people are going through there. Because in a country like Pakistan, if we are not thinking about that [peasant] that's working in the fields, or the young man who is a day laborer in Karachi, [if] we think that interactions with the Oxford-educated Pakistani in Parliament somehow gives us an insight into the country, we can be really mistaken and can make a series of misjudgments.

More...

The Pilgrim's Progressiveness

But the changes from the Hajj experience transcended mere shifts in religious observance, inspiring many pilgrims with newfound feelings of tolerance. While in Mecca, Hajjis can't help but rub shoulders with Muslims of every shape and size. Sunni and Shiite, African and Pakistani, all live and pray together as a single congregation of millions. This intermixing of peoples in Mecca seems to have caused the Pakistani Hajjis to express more tolerant views of other Muslims. Just over half of the Pakistanis who didn't go on the Hajj told the survey team that they had a positive view of other Muslim countries. This figure jumped to nearly 70 percent among Hajj survey respondents. More...

Young American Muslims pioneer a new dating game

The careful rules that dictate male-female interaction and courtship quite simply can't be applied in the US as they are in predominately Muslim countries. What's more, Islamic teachings lay out few undisputable guidelines when it comes to finding and meeting a mate; every Muslim tradition has its own interpretation. So, what an Indian Muslim might find permissible could be off-limits for an Arab Muslim. The result: US Muslims are pioneering ways to read Muslim rules in ways that make sense in an American context. More...

Brooklyn students & pen pals in Pakistan bridge cultural divide by sharing lives

They're worlds apart, but the dozens of letters sent between Pakistani children and students at two Brooklyn charter schools show they're more alike than meets the eye. "The weather of our homeland is not pleasant now, as people are so vexed up with coldness," wrote a seventh-grader named Waqas Hussain to his Williamsburg pen pal, Edwin Matuuga, before quickly shifting to a more pleasant subject. "Cricket and badminton are my favorite games." But more than anything else, the students proved that even at such a young age, they truly cared about each other. "I'm curious about your life," wrote a Brooklyn student named Justin shortly after the earthquake that devastated much of the area around Islamabad in 2005, killing 18,000 people. "Is it like mine? I heard about the earthquake. Are you OK?"  More...

Coup-related curbs lifted by US

The United States on Wednesday removed military coup-related restrictions from Pakistan, enabling it to continue to receive the US assistance in the future. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the notification on March 28 but it was sent to the Federal Registrar’s office on April 1, the day the new cabinet was sworn in Islamabad. “Pursuant to the authority vested in me as Secretary of State … I hereby determine and certify that subsequent to the termination of assistance to the government of Pakistan after a military coup on October 12, 1999, a democratically elected government has taken office in Pakistan as of March 25, 2008, permitting immediate resumption of assistance. More...

Obama Says Real-Life Experience Trumps Rivals’ Foreign Policy Credits

To counter opponents’ accusations that he lacks experience in foreign policy, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois often cites his ties to relatives in poor villages in Kenya and the years he spent growing up in Indonesia. Now he has added a new personal detail to that résumé: a trip to Pakistan while a college student. More...

Pakistan: From Counter-Terrorism to Counterinsurgency

With time running out, Washington should continue providing smart and targeted military, economic and diplomatic aid to all willing and capable Pakistani civilian and military leaders and institutions. Changing the counterterrorism-counterinsurgency calculus by focusing on active socioeconomic engagement over excess use of brute force is essential to achieving victory in the Global War on Terror. More...

Analysis: Give the parties a break!

Yes, the media needs to be critical, but instead of being confrontational with the political parties it needs to provide friendly and constructive criticism so that parties can actually benefit from the political analysis. Political parties in Pakistan have not inspired trust in the citizenry that elects them. They have not mobilized the masses on the basis of ideology or policy programs and when in government, their poor performance has led people to be critical of their inefficiency. Political parties must be accountable. More...

Muslim troops help win Afghan minds

As fellow Muslims, they get a warm reception from the villagers. "At first I thought these were American soldiers and I wanted them to leave but when they said they were Muslims I knew they were our brothers," a young Afghan man says. Hajji Fazlullah, another Afghan villager, says: "The Arab troops come in our country and our village, we are very happy." More...

Gillani, Negroponte exchange vows of mutual allegiance

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani on Wednesday said that Pakistan accords high priority to its strategic relationship with the United States and desires to further expand them in all the fields. Talking to US Deputy Secretary of State John D Negroponte and US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher who called on him here at the Prime Minister House on Wednesday, the Prime Minister mentioned that US President George W Bush had called him, assuring Washington's full support to Pakistan in every sphere of life. While reiterating Pakistan's firm resolve to address the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister said the world community has to do more in order to develop a collective approach. More...

The first hundred days

The new administrations taking shape in Islamabad and the four provinces would do well to follow the three-step approach adopted by President Roosevelt in America in 1933. They should quickly develop an understanding of what ails Pakistan in the area of economics. But economics affects all other aspects of life. The fact that suicide bombing has arrived in the country as a weapon of choice for many militants is partly because of the economic despair plaguing the communities from which they come. More...

New Pakistani Lawmakers: Richer, Flashier

Ameerul Azim, a spokesman for Pakistan's largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami — which along with all but one Islamist faction boycotted the February polls — called the new lawmakers' show of wealth "an insult to the poor people of Pakistan." "These people today proved that they have no sympathy for the poor," he said. Even Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a Bhutto loyalist and contender for prime minister, acknowledged that the lawmakers' ostentatious wealth could raise doubts about their commitment to solving the problems of ordinary Pakistanis. "Austerity should be exercised, given the economic compulsions that we have," Qureshi told Dawn News television. He said the country faced "huge challenges," with high inflation and power shortages.More...

Full Text of Obama’s Iraq Speech

As the recent legislative elections showed, there is a moderate majority of Pakistanis, and they are the people we need on our side to win the war against al Qaeda. That is why we should dramatically increase our support for the Pakistani people – for education, economic development, and democratic institutions. That child in Pakistan must know that we want a better life for him, that America is on his side, and that his interest in opportunity is our interest as well. That’s the promise that America must stand for. More...

Moderates Hold Key in Pakistan

The victory of the Awami National Party, or A.N.P., was welcomed by Western officials and Pakistanis as a clear rejection of the Taliban and the religious parties that backed them here in North-West Frontier Province. The party will now be part of the governing coalition in the national Parliament, and sees itself as critically placed to begin a dialogue with the militants, something the Bush administration has regarded warily. Talks between them have already begun quietly, as some militant groups and their supporters send messages and emissaries to the newly elected parties, said Afrasiab Khattak, A.N.P.’s secretary general here. “They saw a government coming with a new paradigm, with a plan that is not just bombarding,” he said. More...

Many Muslims Turn to Home Schooling

Across the United States, Muslims who find that a public school education clashes with their religious or cultural traditions have turned to home schooling. That choice is intended partly as a way to build a solid Muslim identity away from the prejudices that their children, boys and girls alike, can face in schoolyards. But in some cases, as in Ms. Bibi’s, the intent is also to isolate their adolescent and teenage daughters from the corrupting influences that they see in much of American life. About 40 percent of the Pakistani and other Southeast Asian girls of high school age who are enrolled in the district here are home-schooled, though broader statistics on the number of Muslim children being home-schooled, and how well they do academically, are elusive. More...

Carson wins seat in 7th District race

Another Carson is going to Congress. Democrat Andre Carson won Tuesday's special election to succeed his grandmother, the late U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, and fill out the final 10 months of her term. Carson's win makes him the first Muslim to represent Indiana in Congress, and only the second Muslim nationwide to serve there. Carson's 54-43 percent win, with 100 percent of the vote tallied, over Republican state Rep. Jon Elrod, was strong. But it might not have been the type of knockout blow that would fend off the competition he faces in the May 6 primary. The campaign for that election, a mere 55 days away, begins today.

To view video of Andre Carson being sworn into Congress please click here.    More...        

Pakistani Doctor Receives International Woman of Courage Award

Dr Begum Jan, who received the international women of courage award from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday, believes that the military might alone cannot subdue the tribes of Waziristan. “These honorees have transformed their societies and served as an inspiration to the international community,” said Ms Rice while conferring the awards. Dr Jan heads the Tribal Women Welfare Association, which works to empower the voice and role of women in traditional communities of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Dr Jan is the first Pakistani to receive this coveted award. She has established 11 centers across the tribal region for providing medical training to tribal women. More...

Pakistan Lawmakers Take Oath, Plan to Curb Musharraf

Zardari has said his party “wants governance and not just government'' and both Zardari and Sharif have pledged to change the constitution and laws through the parliamentary process to bring about a balance between the powers of the president and prime minister. The PPP will choose a prime minister from its lawmakers in the assembly and Sharif's party will support the PPP's choice, according to their agreement. More...

Rethinking the War in Pakistan's Borderlands

The rush to get the US plans into action and to improve the FC's capacity, without looking at the more important longer-term issues affecting the region and the Pakistan army itself may not yield the intended results. Rather, pitting a locally-recruited FC against its own tribal cousins may end up creating more problems and feed the very insurgency they are meant to quell. Both the US and the Pakistani public need to be part of this important discussion. Haste and secrecy can only undermine these efforts. More...

Obama and the Bigots

With countless people today spreading scurrilous rumors that Mr. Obama is a Muslim, the most appropriate response is a denial followed by: And so what if he were? Granted, that’s not politically realistic as a comeback. A 2007 Gallup poll found that 94 percent of Americans said they would vote for a black candidate for president and 88 percent for a woman. In contrast, a Los Angeles Times poll in 2006 found that only 34 percent of respondents said they could vote for a Muslim for president. More...

Bush picks Pakistani American to reach out to Muslim World

President George Bush has named a prominent Pakistani-American businessman, Sada Cumber as the United States special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference, a move hailed by diplomats as part of efforts to improve America’s image in the Muslim world. Cumber is an Austin-based technology executive and has founded six companies in 25 years. “The core of his mission,” Bush said in announcing the appointment, “is to explain to the Islamic world that America is a friend” is a friend of freedom, is a friend of peace, that we value religion.” Cumber was born in Karachi in 1951 and was raised there. He immigrated to the United States as a young man and became a US citizen in 1986. More...

Q&A: Obama on Foreign Policy

In Pakistan, I will reject the false choice between stability and democracy. In our unconditional support for [Pakistani President Pervez] Musharraf, we have gotten neither. I will condition elements of our aid to the Pakistani government on their actions to pursue al-Qaeda in the FATA, and their actions to fully restore democracy and the rule of law. I will increase assistance for secular education and for development of the border region so that we meet the extremists' program of hate with a program of hope. Our goal in Pakistan must not just be an ally -- it must be a democratic ally, because that will be a better ally in the fight against terrorism and that will represent a better future for the Pakistani people. More...

Ohio-Obama

I must rewind a bit. Over the last few weeks Obama has made four statements that when he became President if there were actionable intelligence of Al-Qaeda's presence in Pakistan, he would not hesitate to attack without Pakistan's consent. I wrote in protest to those associated with the Obama campaign, reminding the senator that Pakistan was a sovereign nation and statements like these alienate Pakistani-Americans. Explanations were emailed to me, and in fact Senator Obama himself when attacked by Senator Clinton and Dodd said that he would attack only if President Musharraf was not able to deal with the situation himself and asked for US help. More...

Musharraf pins hopes on rivalry of unnatural partners

The broad-based thinking in the PPP camp is that the party would not gain anything from removing the president and restoring the sacked chief justice, as in both cases the net gainer would be the Sharifs. These sources base their argument on the fact that no one can give guarantee that after the restoration, the chief justice would not take any decision against the PPP government or its leaders. "No one can give this guarantee and it simply means that the restoration of the chief justice would bring disaster to the PPP and this is the real game plan of Nawaz Sharif and the company," said the source. In so many words, one source has confirmed that Zardari has already indicated that he would not be interested to be a part of any 'get-Musharraf' move.More...

Pakistan's New Frontier

But the democratic Islamists are not a monolith. They adapt, they compromise, and they absorb a vast pool of young activists who might otherwise turn toward violence. Left alone on the margins, they may more readily adopt a vigorous politics of agitation, protesting progressive social policies and state action against hardline clerics. This is a particular threat because, despite the MMA's defeat, the broader political winds are still at its back. Anti-Americanism and frustration with the war in Afghanistan remain high. More...

New immigration screening methods target Muslims, critics charge

"When you're targeting as 'special' 20 percent of the world, you're obviously sweeping far too broadly and you're going to waste a lot of resources on people who pose no threat," said David Cole, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington. "The second problem is that when you treat people from Muslim countries as suspect merely because they come from Muslim countries, you are very likely to alienate the people here and abroad we need to be working with if we're going to get helpful information on what the real threats are." More...

India-Pakistan flights to double

Pakistan and India have agreed to double the number of weekly passenger flights between the two countries.

The two countries also agreed to expand the number of destinations served by the flights and to allow more airlines to operate the routes. Currently a total of 12 flights a week link the Indian cities of Delhi and Mumbai with the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi respectively. The deal is seen as a sign of warming ties between the nuclear-armed rivals. In a joint statement released after the deal was signed in Islamabad, the two countries said they hoped the agreement would facilitate "people to people contact, business and trade activities". More...