Pakistanis concerned over
Western media coverage against Pakistan: AOPP
(Updated at 1950 PST)
NEW JERSEY: Pakistanis living
in the United States have voiced their concern over the
recent barrage of articles and editorials, highlighting
Pakistan’s supplying nuclear technology to North Korea, Iran
and Libya.
Syed Asif Alam, President, Association of Pakistani
Professionals (AOPP)
said, “Mainstream western media too in the last few months
has published a number of articles and editorials with the
focus of cornering Pakistan.”
“You have to realize the fact that Pakistan has been pushed
in the matter of nuclear transfer for countries like Iran,
N. Korea and Libya, which interestingly is all based upon
Russian Technology” said Mr. Alam,
The president Asif Alam said that Pakistani scientists might
have helped (yet to be proved), but they were not the only
one; the fact of the matter is that as reported earlier in
October by Hindustan Times that Indian top scientist Dr.
Prasad took up an assignment with Iran nuclear plant. This
news was nowhere found, nor was the fact that these entire
centrifuges were based on Russian technology.
Alam said further, “It is absolutely imperative for the
Pakistani community as a whole to take notice and voice
their opinions regarding this very dangerous issue which is
prone to damaging effects with the start of the US
congressional session. We need to be pro-active and look for
ourselves and Pakistan and the demand the media to be fair
and balanced.”
Association of Pakistani Professionals, a US based think
tank that strives for educated view of Pakistan has setup
action alert on the web page at http://aopp.org where it is
asking the community members to write to the western media
and voice their opinion.
February 14th, 2004http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2004-daily/14-02-2004/national/n8.htm
Pak immigrants in US to be defended
against civil rights violations
NEW YORK: In a new effort to protect the rights of Pakistani-Americans and other Muslim immigrants, the Open Society Institute (OSI) is issuing $200,000 in grants to the Four Freedoms Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), to help defend immigrant communities against civil rights violations by the US authorities.
Association of Pakistani Professionals, a US based think-tank that strives for education point of view on Pakistan, has applauded the efforts of the OSI. Syed Asif Alam, President of AOPP, said, "It is absolutely imperative for our community to take notice of the changing world and act upon quickly; the OSI fund is need of the time and is a great gift for all the Pakistanis and Muslims across the United States".
The association pointed out that there have been numerous incidents in which the Pakistani and other Muslim non-citizen immigrants were detained without charges, deprived of due process of law, denied access to legal counsel and subjected to closed hearings. These restrictions have set a precedent for the government to enact similar measures against the US citizens, he said.
These developments have prompted the Open Society Institute to become increasingly concerned about the status of Central Asian and Middle Eastern immigrants in the United States. The Open Society Institute will administer the grants to the Four Freedoms Fund and the ACLU to help the Pakistani and other Muslim immigrant groups advocate for their legal rights.
The Four Freedoms Fund will use its $125,000 grant to support the community-based organisations working with the immigrant communities to develop effective strategies for protecting their civil rights and increasing their political influence.
The Fund will also work to strengthen ties between the immigrants’ organisations and civil and human rights groups that oppose policies jeopardising the rights of immigrants.
The Fund aims at engaging immigrants and minority communities in public policy discussions and promote alternative domestic security policies that are effective and fair. The $75,000 ACLU grants will go toward a communications and documentation campaign, highlighting the plight of the Pakistanis detained or deported under the new US domestic security measures.
The ACLU will also work with the Open Society Institute to support the filing of complaints with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
March 18th, 2004
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2004-daily/18-03-2004/main/update.shtml#23
Pakistani Americans laud elite military status for Pakistan by USA
(Updated at 1830 PST)
New Jersey: Association of
Pakistan Professionals (AOPP)
has lauded the statement of US Secretary of State Collin
Powell in which he stated about designating Pakistan as a
major non-NATO ally.
President of AOPP, Syed Asif Alam, said: "Pakistan and its
people are the leading ally in war on terrorism. Its law
enforcement and intelligence agencies have stormed the
terrorist organizations, and as a result several top al-Qaeda
leaders and hundreds of their minions are in US custody which
American and European agencies could not have done.”
Indeed, it was a direct result of Pakistan's assistance, he
said.
Alam said further, "Pakistan has made the a number of
sacrifices in human, social and economic terms. This could be
the first giant step towards long lasting and fruitful
relationship between two countries which should lead into
larger textile quota and bigger economic funding for
elimination of poverty and extremism in the country."
