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For Immediate Release:

PAKPAC concerned over High Profile Muslim Actor's Detention at US Airport

WASHINGTON Aug 19^th : The Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) is highly concerned over the recent detention of world-renowned Indian Muslim actor, Shah Rukh Khan, at the Newark International airport. Mr. Khan is filming a movie; My Name is Khan, based on racial profiling of ethnic minorities in USA, especially, Muslims. Ironically, Mr. Khan himself became a victim of racial profiling and was detained for hours for questioning by the immigration authorities. Khan is a common Muslim name. The incident has caused an international media frenzy focusing on the treatment meted out to the minorities at US airports.

The PAKPAC believes that this incident was not isolated but part of a pattern after 9/11. Since the terrorist attacks, lawful Muslim travelers have extensively been subjected to unfair inspections, intrusive secondary searches, excessive questioning based on their names and ethnicity. This heightened scrutiny has resulted in substantial hardship for many travelers by missing their connecting flights or business appointments. PAKPAC believes that profiling people based on their race, religion, and origin is wrong and not the appropriate use of resources. We believe that aggressive questioning of innocent travelers does not prevent terrorism, but alienates the one community that can serve as an important conduit to the wider Muslim world.

The PAKPAC has brought to attention the futility of interrogation procedures at US airports during various meetings with the Transport Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security officials. PAKPAC will continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security so that incidents such as these will decrease, that the number of false positive matches on watch lists be minimized and that security procedures at border crossing not involve racial profiling.

That said, we commend the Department of Homeland Security for their tireless, and at times, thankless task for keeping us safe. We simply believe that if we restrict liberty for the perception of safety, we will surely lose both.

PAKPAC believes that this incident and the upcoming movie that Mr. Khan is filming to highlight the plight of the people targeted and profiled under name check pretext will allow the policy makers to re-evaluate a failed and misguided policy.

The Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) is a nationwide, membership based, non-profit lobbying organization registered with the United States Federal Government. PAKPAC’s mission includes advancement and strengthening of U.S.-Pakistan relations. It is organized to be a unified voice on issues and concerns common to the Pakistani American community. PAKPAC’s focus includes an active environment to foster greater political and civic engagement amongst the Pakistani Americans. PAKPAC is also focused on collaborating with other regional and national Pakistani American organizations to ensue increased efficacy and reduced duplication of the stated goals. PAKPAC along with our affiliates is working to serve as a watch dog for inaccuracies and bias in media coverage about Pakistan and Pakistani Americans. We are also involved in educating media groups, journalists, politicians, academicians and members of think tanks about views of concern and importance to the Pakistani American community.