A) United States has agreed to help Pakistan with a $3B support over 5 years.

B) Congress had passed a bill which would make it difficult to do the above.

C) This same bill with the section on Pakistan has now come up for vote in senate.

D) If this bill passes it would become much more difficult for Pakistan to receive the funds for education in Pakistan.

E) We and each of our family members must write 2 letters each to both your Senators (OF YOUR STATE) to vote NO to the specific section 709 of H.R. 1950

ACTION:

A) Go to following link.
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

B) Place your address and you will be sent to your Senators names:

C) Click on your senators email addresses:

D) Fill in your pertinent and complete information.

E) Cut and paste the letter below

F) Send the letter to the other senator as well.

OPTIONAL:

G) Please send in info that you have done so to infa@pakpac.net and your Senators names so we make sure that no Senator is missed.

If you have questions you can write to info@pakpac.net:

PAKPAC gives permission to recipients to use their names to his important action item and send it out in their own name to their members.

Please cut and paste the letter below.
_________________________________________________

BEGIN

____

During the recent visit of Gen. Musharraf of Pakistan to Washington, President Bush proposed a five-year $3 billion assistance package for Pakistan, half of which would be used for education and the other half for military supplies.

Pakistan has been our partner and a country which has stood with us through thick and thin. Even now while Pakistan faces financial troubles and while our so called friends have backed out of supporting us in maintaining peace in Iraq Pakistan has offered to help our troops.

The administrations decision to more forward with a major bilateral assistance program is an extremely positive step to help Pakistan. This is actually a strong gesture to anyone who questions United States friendship with Pakistan. This will improve the future of the region and our economic interests in the following ways.

HELP REGRADING EDUCATION:

We have a perfect example of Afghanistan right in front of us where the lack of education led to a rise in extremism. In some small parts of Pakistan similar element of lack of education prevails thus giving a potential place for extremism to flourish. On the other hand the same country has a wealth of educated and talented people who have been able to avail the opportunities. Fortunately Pakistan has a very significant number of people, NGOs and even governmental initiatives to help with education. We must seize the opportunity to help the educational initiates and do whatever to invest in Pakistan’s education, future stability of the region and thus our financial future here in the US as well.

HELP REGARDING MILITARY ASSISTANCE:

The prime reason for the conflict and tensions in South Asia is the unresolved dispute of Kashmir between India and Pakistan. While the solutions based on human rights principles and the will of the people of Kashmir is being chalked, we must understand that this conflict has the potential of spiraling into a nuclear war. According to many analysts, it is believed that one of the main reasons that the nuclear conflict is likely is because of the imbalance of strategic and conventional arms in the region; with Pakistan having relatively smaller army and ammunition as compared to larger India, will be pushed into using the nuclear arms. The proposed US military assistance will help in stabilizing the region and we must use our influence to bridge this gap by reducing this gross imbalance.

I want to bring to your attention the proposed Bill H.R. 1950 placed on Calendar in Senate, which will be coming for your consideration in the coming days. Specific section 709 deals with Pakistan. There are some serious concerns that I as your constituent have regarding this particular section. The concerns include the lack of any systems in place to evaluate and monitor the alleged infiltration of people into the Indian occupied Kashmir. Even at this stage these are pure allegations of infiltration by India in the absence of any proof. Similarly there is no willingness of India to have international monitors in the area. In the absence of an independent observer the allegations will continue and such a section in law would lead to loss of support of education initiatives and military balance in Pakistan. The risks to the South Asian region and to our economy by such a blocking event are enormous.

Similarly, the other two specific issues have been placed in this section without having systems in place to assess the situation. We all know that South Asian region is going through turmoil and difficult times. Stabilizing the region is in our best interest. We must NOT make any decisions that will lead to short or long term instability of the region and we must make our policies to promote education and support to help move the region further away form a nuclear conflict. We have to support our friend in need and must do so and avoid any carefully worded texts that would make it difficult to the above.

As your active constituent, I urge you NOT TO SUPPORT the amendment SECTION 709 of HR 1950. I shall also be grateful if you would extend your full support to any other legislation-amendment which may be brought up in Congress during the authorization/appropriations process supporting Pakistan.

Respectfully yours,