Announcement

USAID Job Openings in Pakistan

Senior Program Advisor

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services under a Personal Services Contract (PSC), as described in the solicitation.

Position Title:   Senior Program Advisor [multiple positions] 

Solicitation Number:   M-OAA-l O-SPECOPS-OOO1 

Issuance Date:   April 12, 2010 

Interim Submission Dates:   May17, June 30, August 31,2010 

Instructions to Applicants. Submission by email is preferred. More information is available.. Questions regarding this solicitation should be directed to Mr. Mir Ershadullah at mershadullah@usaid.gov .

Call for Papers for 9/11 anniversary

As we approach the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 in 2011, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and Race/Ethnicity: Multidisciplinary Global Contexts are inviting submissions for an issue entitled "Field Notes on the 9/11 Moment: Transformations in Community and Country."This issue, to be published in June 2011, will provide an opportunity to discuss and engage with the complexities presented by the 9/11 moment for communities in the United States and the rest of the world. Get more information about requirements and submission guidelines. Submission deadline is October 15, 2010.

News

USAID Administrator Conducts First Official Visit to Pakistan

Following the March 2010 U.S. – Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah made his first official visit to Pakistan on April 11-15. He emphasized the importance of the long term U.S.-Pakistani development partnership.

During the three-day visit, Dr. Shah conducted meetings with the Ministers of Health and Education; met with the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance; held an Energy roundtable at the Ministry of Water and Power; and discussed improved coordination with major bilateral and multilateral donors.  Read More

Indian Americans Urge Fair Investigation into the Recent Riots in Hyderabad

Indian Muslim Council-USA urges the Andhra Pradesh State government to update the public on the status and the nature of the investigations into the recent communal riots in Hyderabad.

The riots were triggered due to unprecedented mobilization by Hindu extremist organizations that blanketed the entire city with Saffron flags for the Hanuman Jayanti - a festival that was hitherto celebrated with relative simplicity in Hyderabad. These Saffron flags and other Hindu religious symbols were provocatively planted on Mosques, Churches and sites of other religions. Rabble rousing speeches provoking violence against minority communities were also delivered at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad conference on March 24th that led to cases being filed against Hindu nationalist leaders as early as 3 days prior to the breakout of violence. According to reports three lives were lost, ninety people were injured. Police arrested two hundred and seventy two suspects while imposing the curfew within the jurisdiction of twenty five police stations. Read more

U.S. Launches Gems and Jewelry Center of Excellence for FATA

United States Government, in partnership with the NWFP University of Engineering and Technology and the Pakistan Gems and Jewelry Development Company, launched a $600,000 FATA Center of Excellence for Gems and Jewelry to uplift the gem industry and create jobs for the people of FATA. This center is one tangible example of U.S. and Pakistan cooperation -- cooperation that is part of a results-oriented partnership for the future that the United States and Pakistan reaffirmed during the recent Strategic Dialogue, held March 24-25 in Washington, DC. The United States pledged long-term support for Pakistan's efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, foster economic development, expand opportunity, and defeat the extremist groups who threaten both nations' common security. Progress will come through focused partnerships in a range of substantive areas and from a joint willingness to work constructively to address any difference or difficult issues.

Lack of Governance adds to Pakistan Energy shortage

The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) released a list of Federal, Provincial Government Departments & Autonomous bodies which owed the company Rs1575.23 million and issued them final notices

ARREAR LIST OF TOP 200 Private & Government (Active & disconnected) consumers AS ON 28-02-2010

View the rest list of defaulters

Drone & Terrorist Attack rise in Pakistan

According to Brookings both Drone and Terrorists attacks are on the rise in Pakistan. After months of about 160 monthly terrorists attacks, the month of March saw the number of attacks rise to 225 to the levels of August 200, with most attacks occurring in NWFP. In the meantime number of drone attacks and  casulaities caused by such attacks are almost twice as much as they were in 2009. The government of Pakistan  has made great headway--at great cost to its soldiers--in several tribal agencies.  And it has arrested key leaders of the Afghan Taliban, helping us.  But its willingness to keep that up, to go after the so-called Haqqani network in North Waziristan and elsewhere, and to swing even more forces from its border with India over to the west to confront the insurgencies remain limited.  The year is going much better on balance, but there is a long ways to go there. Read Complete Report

India, Pakistan in focus at South Asia summit

Leaders of India and Pakistan are likely to meet in Bhutan's capital next week as their nuclear-armed rivalry overshadows a summit of South Asian nations to discuss trade and environment.

India halted peace talks with Pakistan after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed and which India has blamed on Pakistan-based groups. A meeting between the leaders is seen as crucial because it could help keep alive the idea of engagement between two players whose battle for influence in Afghanistan has a direct bearing on Western efforts to stabilize a region with 1.8 billion people.

“It is an opportunity (to meet) and both sides will take advantage of it,” said a senior Indian government official, who spoke on condition on anonymity. Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said there was “as of now” no offer of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Yousaf Raza Gilani, but did not completely rule out the possibility of one.

The two sides have been tentative about engaging since their top diplomats met in New Delhi in February but failed to achieve a breakthrough. That meeting, nonetheless, was seen as a small step towards repairing ties. Differences over the nature of talks have held up a further meeting - Pakistan wants India to restart the peace process; India wants to go slow until Islamabad acts against the Mumbai attack planners. The United States has been urging the two sides to reduce tension so that Pakistan can focus better on fighting the Taliban on its western border with Afghanistan.

“I don't really want to forecast what is going to happen, but let me say: dialogue is always useful, it helps clear the atmosphere, especially between close neighbors such as India and Pakistan,” Rao said before leaving for Bhutan on Friday.

Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit hinted last week about the possibility of a meeting. “It has not yet been penciled in. Nevertheless, given that our roadmap also provided for a summit meeting in Bhutan, we look forward to a meaningful engagement with India,” Basit said. “Let me also underline here, that engaging in meaningful and result-oriented talks is in our mutual interest and in the interest of this region, it is not a favor by Pakistan to India and vice versa.”

The scale or content of a meeting between Singh and Gilani could be drawn up by Rao and her Pakistan counterpart, Salman Bashir. Indian officials said hopes of any progress were low.

“Our outlook on the meeting is very clear - it has to be terrorism and what steps Pakistan has taken to bring the perpetrators of Mumbai to book,” a senior Indian official said on condition of anonymity.

The two sides' unmitigated animosity has undermined greater regional cooperation, an agenda that was the founding principle of the eight-nation bloc of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that meets in Bhutan on April 28-29. Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives, Bangladesh and Afghanistan make up the rest of the group. While SAARC summits are often little more than a backdrop to bilateral meetings between India and Pakistan, the bloc has tried to push forward cooperation in trade and commerce.

Viewpoint

Pakistan on Firm Footing

Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister, likes to receive visitors in the library of the prime ministerial mansion in Islamabad, its bookshelves decorated with ceremonial swords, daggers and other armorial objects. On the leonine crest of one small shield, a gift from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, is the motto: “Ponder the improbable”. The words are apt for Mr Gilani, and for the country’s leadership as a whole. The civilian government led by him and President Asif Ali Zardari has defied the odds by staying in power and taking on militant Taliban groups that have struck the country’s main cities and even the army’s high command in Rawalpindi. Pakistanis have held their breath for the past two years, awaiting a regime change orchestrated by General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, the powerful army chief. In a country blighted by military rule for most of its 63 years, such a move would not be unprecedented.

However, Gen Kiyani has opted to work with the political leadership rather than against it. Indeed, the Pakistan People’s party administration is on course to become the first democratically elected government to serve a full term for three decades. It has galvanized the nation for a fight against militants. Most recently, Islamabad has basked in the embrace of Washington as both countries tried to rebuild a troubled partnership.

The combination of these three developments puts Pakistan in one of its strongest positions for two decades. The US is left with few choices but to back the country as it seeks to win the war in Afghanistan. But to become a credible and stable American ally for the long haul, Pakistan has to reform its economy, scale back the influence of the army and improve its relationship with India, its mighty southern neighbor. Gen Kiyani, a shrewd tactician, appears to be the man on whom this depends. Read More

The Army: Anything but Idle - Zafar Hilaly

For much of the past decade the army was learning about everything but its own profession. It had a part-time COAS who doubled up as a part-time dictator. Now and then he also performed as a part-time politician. Then he shot himself in the foot, politically speaking, and, mercifully for the nation, is no more. To the relief of everybody, including the army, the institution is back in the hands of full-time professional soldiers. One has no idea why the great novelist Leo Tolstoy felt that all that the military did was to wallow in “compulsory and irreproachable idleness.” Or, perhaps, that is what the Czarist armies did, because the Pakistani army is by no means idle. It is at war in the east and at war stations in the west, and in-between these two poles it is training furiously. Moreover, it is adapting to new and independent command structures, beefing up concepts and plans, with operational readiness as the top priority. In short, the army is anything but idle.

Not even the civilian observers invited to witness the recent exercise, appropriately named Azm-e-Nau III, were left to idle. We were marched up and down, told where to sit, stand and, in one case, lie down, and where to look, and why. All of which was done with exquisite politeness.

Whatever else has changed since the nineties when one spent two eventful years at the NDC: the army bird, the glorious chicken, still retains pride of place on the menu, be it noon or night. Azm-e Nau (renewed determination) is the name of a series of exercises that the army is presently conducting in separate theatres. The idea is to be able to take on an enemy wherever he may be, without having to detract from the efficacy of operations elsewhere. Essentially it is to meet the several front wars that may be imposed on us.

Among the more noticeable changes that one encountered from the 90s is the equipment of the army. Vehicles that were at one time scarce are a-plenty and most of them newish, with the possible exception of the decade-old Ukrainian tanks. “Al-Khalid,” the main battle tank that is locally produced, is constantly refurbished by new gadgetry to keep up with requirements. Greater firepower has been added and tanks now have the ability to mount operations at night.

Happily, the discipline and the camaraderie of old remain intact. And there has been one huge change for the better. The spirit of the army is wondrous to behold. Unity, and morale, that often frays in peacetime and had plummeted under Musharraf, is sky high, just when it is most needed. The army has recovered its poise and morale and the two essential reasons are Kayani and Kayani.

Seldom has one man made a greater difference. Promotions on grounds other than professional competence are out. In fact, officers known to be close to Kayani, in terms of belonging to his unit, or otherwise having interacted closely with him, have been passed over in favour of others with only marginally better records. His personal demeanour, unlike that of Musharraf, evinces praise rather than embarrassed glances; and, more to the point, he is a genuinely humble man. He doesn’t strut around like a peacock.

One noticed that Kayani made it a point to shake the hands of the jawans who were half hidden behind a phalanx of officers and guests. The gesture was not contrived. He meant it. The fact that his troops want to greet him and shake his hand shows the palpable regard and affection in which he is held. He is lustily cheered when addressing troops and one learns that completely unrehearsed and spontaneous slogans have been heard during his tours.

The fact that Kayani is always on the move, visiting outlying and often dangerous areas to show that he cares for his troops, binds the army rank and file to him. He is a man of few words. And strangely, in a country full of chatter boxes, this goes down well. For some of us, the fact that sets him apart from other chiefs is not only that he is a doer but that he is a voracious reader. He has an open mind, keeps abreast of developments and is deeply conscious of the image that the army needs to build and maintain.

Kayani is politics-averse, not in the ways that, say, Gen Waheed was (politicians disgusted Waheed), but because he genuinely believes that the army has no role in politics in a democracy. In fact, he seems almost squeamish in this regard. Like it or not, a COAS in Pakistan happens to be a key player on the political scene, his opinions may not be formally necessary but his inputs count. In the past our army chiefs have sat on the fence till they were forced to get off on one side or the other. The fact is that they are neither spectators nor umpires. They are part of Team Pakistan. It does not matter who scores the goal as long as the team wins.

With Kayani, and successful campaigns in Swat and Waziristan under its belt, the army seems gung-ho about the future. However, one did notice among the officers to whom one spoke, concern that if he was to depart when his term is up in November the measures that he has set in motion may lose their momentum. “He should stay and see them through,” one spirited colonel said very emphatically.  As for the exercises, they were reassuring. Troops using the new equipment have mastered the technique. The number of bull’s-eye that they achieved was exceptional. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the entire exercise was the participation of the air force. Thanks to Kayani, they are now an integral part of army battle plans.

The litmus test of any exercise held by the army is how better it will enable Pakistan to repulse an Indian attack. It was noticeable that the Indians held their exercises at precisely the time the Pakistani army was heavily engaged in the east. That may have been coincidental or deliberate, but of the purpose and thrust of Azm-e-Nau III there can be no doubt, and, specifically how to contain and counter an Indian foray.  Curiously, there was not a word about the nuclear overhang under which all future India-Pakistan conflicts will be waged. That was in a sense reassuring. The army is confident that the instrument of first resort will suffice to ward off and punish the aggressor, and hence the weapon of last resort need not be primed. That said, it would be foolish to rule it out.

In the searing heat and dust of the exercise ground, the thought that, although India and Pakistan can kill off their respective populations, they are no safer, did cross one’s mind. And also that six decades on, India and Pakistan remain at daggers drawn, so great has been the idiocy of their leaders. But, then, we know that though knowledge can be communicated, not so wisdom.

Readers Corner

Songs of Blood and Sword by Fatima Bhutto

Fatima Bhutto was 14 years old when her father, Mir Murtaza, was shot dead by police after a gun battle outside his Karachi home in 1996. Songs of Blood and Sword is an account of his life seen through her eyes. In clear and unpretentious prose it gives a vivid impression of the brutal and corrupt world of Pakistani power politics, which has resulted in the violent deaths of four members of the Bhutto dynasty in the past 31 years. Murtaza's adult life, we learn, was dominated by two great causes. The first was to avenge the death of his father, ex-president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, at the hands of the man who ousted him, General Zia-ul-Haq. Then, after Zia's own death in 1988, the second was to protect his father's political legacy from his sister, Benazir. The rivalry between the energetic and idealistic Murtaza and the calculating and ambitious Benazir gives the book its central dynamic. Read More

Events & Activities

Pakistani Entrepreneurs attend summit hosted by President Obama

Making good on a promise he made to the Muslim world last year, President Barack Obama will host an entrepreneurship summit next week to deepen ties between business people in the U.S. and Muslim countries. More than 250 entrepreneurs, educators and investors from 50 countries will gather in Washington Monday for the two-day summit. The goals include finding ways to make economic and social climates conducive to entrepreneurship, and developing the role of businesswomen. White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the administration believes that promoting global entrepreneurship is a vital part of U.S. foreign policy. "This is not simply an exercise in public outreach or public diplomacy," Rhodes said. "We believe this is the beginning of forging tangible partnerships." Read Complete Summit Agenda

Six Entrepreneurs from Pakistan are attending this summit; they include Paksiatn's first Billionaire MIan Mohamad Mansha, Salim Ghauri, Mudassar Malik,  Ibrahim Qureshi, Roshana Zafar. Six Indian Muslims, who have been invited for the summit are Irfan Alam, Shahnaz Husain, Ramachandra Kavil, Shaffi Mather, Shaheen Mistri and Sirajuddin Qureshi.

During a June speech in Cairo, Obama said he wanted to forge a relationship between the U.S. and Muslims based on respect and partnerships with the private sector and civil society. Among his goals, Obama said, was to "create a new corps of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority countries." You can also watch the President’s remarks here on whitehouse.gov/live.

Several administration officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and White House economic adviser Larry Summers, will participate in the summit. Obama is expected to address the participants on Monday. Rhodes said the administration will announce specific projects during the summit that the U.S. government will undertake to improve its business partnerships with Muslim nations. Read More

Immigration

Immigration advocacy groups to challenge Arizona law

Arizona's governor is vowing that the state's tough new law targeting illegal immigration will be implemented with no tolerance for racial profiling, but at least two advocacy groups are preparing legal challenges and Mexico is warning that the law could affect cross-border relations.

Gov. Jan Brewer (R) on Friday signed into law a bill that supporters said would take handcuffs off police in dealing with illegal immigration in Arizona, the nation's busiest gateway for human and drug smuggling from Mexico and home to an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants.  The law requires police to question people about their immigration status -- including asking for identification -- if they suspect that someone is in the country illegally. It has sparked fears among legal immigrants and U.S. citizens that they will be hassled by police because they look Hispanic. The bill can be read by clicking here.

PAKPAC welcomes President Obama's condemnation of the misguided law, and the administration's request that the Department of Justice immediately investigate the constitutionality of such a measure.  PAKPAC calls on the Department of Justice to ensure that the civil rights and liberties of all residents of Arizona are protected. The bill allows law enforcement agencies to detain anybody "if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants," and requires legal immigrants to carry paperwork proving their status at all times.  There is a profound fear in the civil rights community that the new measure will permit the practice of racial profiling by Arizona law enforcement personnel.

"South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) opposes this policy as it will undoubtedly lead to profiling of communities of color, regardless of immigration status. Anyone who appears to be an immigrant can be questioned by police and have to prove their immigration status," said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of SAALT." South Asian community members are all too familiar with the pernicious effects of profiling resulting from ineffective national security policies instituted following September 11th." Profiling results in community members being viewed with suspicion by not only law enforcement but also the general public and does little but fuel discrimination. The new Arizona law also underscores the need for immigration reform and anti-profiling policies. In the absence of federal measures, state and local governments are implementing their own immigration enforcement policies that result in profiling, undermine trust between communities and police, and diminish public safety. SAALT calls upon policymakers to oppose the Arizona law, and to enact policies that respect fundamental civil rights.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund said it plans to challenge the law, which it said "launches Arizona into a spiral of pervasive fear, community distrust, increased crime and costly litigation, with nationwide repercussions."  William Sanchez, president of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders Legal Defense Fund, said his group is preparing a federal lawsuit against Arizona to stop the law from being applied. The group represents 30,000 evangelical churches nationwide, including 300 Latino pastors in Arizona. Read More

Religious Freedom

US Army disinvites Franklin Graham to Pentagon Prayer Day

Christian evangelist Franklin Graham says the Army has withdrawn an invitation for him to appear at a special Pentagon prayer service. In a statement, Graham said he regrets the Army's decision and will continue to pray for the troops.Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, in 2001 described Islam as evil. More recently, he has said he finds Islam offensive and wants Muslims to know that Jesus Christ died for their sins. In a 2009 CNN interview, Graham stated in part: "[T]rue Islam cannot be practiced in this country. You can't beat your wife. You cannot murder your children if you think they've committed adultery or something like that, which they do practice in these other countries. . .I don't agree with the teachings of Islam and I find it to be a very violent religion."

“We applaud this decision as a victory for common sense and good judgment,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Promoting one's own religious beliefs is something to be defended and encouraged, but other faiths should not be attacked or misrepresented in the process." In an interview about the controversy on Fox News, Graham refused to revise his past comments that Islam is evil and claimed that Muslims are “enslaved by Islam.”

Elections 2010

Long Held Democratic Seats Also at Risk

The New York Times reports that "nearly a dozen well-established House Democrats" are "bracing for something they rarely face: serious competition. Their predicament is the latest sign of distress for their party and underlines why Republicans are confident of making big gains in November and perhaps even winning back the House."

"These established House Democrats find themselves in the same endangered straits as some of their newer colleagues, particularly those who were swept into office in 2008 by Mr. Obama as he scored victories in traditionally Republican states like Indiana and Virginia."

According to CQ following four Democrat and Republican Senators seats could end up in a toss-up.

Colorado:  Bennet (D)         Nevada: Reid(D)                  Illinois: Burris (D)                 Pennsylvania: Specter (D)

Kentucky: Bunning (R)        New Hampshire: Gregg(R)                 Missouri: Bond(R)                Ohio: Voinovich(R)

It appears that Senator Boxer (CA) would hold onto her seat, and Senator Burr(R) and Senator Vittor(LA) will retake their seats. Democratic seats in Arkansas and Indiana are leaning Republican. Democrats most likely may loose Delaware. Read Complete Coverage

In House of Representatives 21 Democratic Seats are toss-ups; one Republican and two Democratic seats are leaning to the opposing party. Read Complete Coverage

For a complete list of open seats in transition in House and Senate click for table.

Most Pundits believe that fate of many seats depend on primaries outcome, see complete calendar of primary elections.

Community Alert

Census 2010 Update

At the end of last week 72 percent of households mailed their 2010 Census forms back as of Friday, April 23. Following five states have the highest rate of participation, Wisconsin 80%; Minnesota 79%; Indiana and Iowa 77%; and Nebraska 76%. Green Township (OH) has the highest participation rate of 86%. Checkout the participation level of your state or town. If 100% of households mailed back their forms, taxpayers would save 1.5 BILLION dollars. At a time of increased budget deficit lets do our part to contain government spending.

If you did not receive your Census form in mail, than please call1-866-872-6868

PAKPAC has developed an instructional video to help our readers in filling out Census 2010 form correctly. Over 130 million households in USA including yours, would have received a Census 2010 envelope this week.. In order to make sure that the form is correctly filled please watch this video before filing out the form.  Make sure you correctly answer Question #9 about race of the head of the household. You must enter "Other" followed by "Pakistan" . Similarly Answer Question 6 for other members of the household.

You don't have to worry that your answers will be used for any other purpose than to compile an accurate count. PAKPAC has received a clarification  letter from Department of Justice that information provided on Census form cannot be used for any other purpose, even under Patriot Act Commerce Department is under no obligation to provide this information to any agency other than for Census purposes. That's the law.

PAKPAC requests to all Pakistani Americans to fully participate and make sure that they and their loved ones are counted. You are requested to fill and return it promptly but no later than April 1^st. Participation is mandatory and your response is required by law, with a penalty of $5,000 for non compliance. It is crucial for the Pakistani American community as one of the fastest growing and traditionally undercounted populations to be accurately counted. It will also indicate what is the total count of Pakistani Americans in USA, and in which states, towns they reside in. Anyone in the family can complete the Census form and it is required to have information on all people present in the household on the day the form is filled.

Participation in census is not dependent on your visa or residency status. The census does not ask about your status. (Your information is protected). Please complete the form and include any relatives and friends even if temporarily staying at your address on that day. To make it easier for US residents, Census Bureau have translated many forms and instructions and other information in many languages including Urdu. Read Census form in Urdu

If you have any questions about 2010 Census please contact ed@pakpac.net or 202-558-6404. Remember, it takes 10 minutes to fill out 10 questions for 10 years' worth of federal dollars. So be sure to fill out your form so your community gets its fair share.

Census Timeline: Key Dates to Remember

April 1^st 2010: Census Day, Mail your questionnaire back

May 2010 – July 2010: Census takers follow up with households that did not return questionnaires

December 31, 2010: U.S Census Bureau delivers apportionment counts to the president.

For more information about the upcoming count, or to find out about temporary employment as a Census worker, go to www. 2010.Census.Gov.

Useful Links

U.S. Census Page

Answers to some of the most frequent questions about the census

Ten Questions - Ten Minutes  

Jobs @ Census

Follow census updates on Twitter

Spotlight

Ibrahim Qureshi- Pakistani Entrepreneur

Ibrahim Qureshi is one of many entrepreneurs coming to the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship April 26-27, 2010, from countries with sizeable Muslim populations. He is founder and chief executive of Raffles Ltd., the first locally assembled brand computer in Pakistan. My family wanted me to join my father’s construction business. But I believed that getting a good education is important in today’s challenging business world. So after graduating from a Pakistani university, I went to Idaho State University to get a bachelor’s degree and to University of California, Los Angeles, for a master’s in business administration. The education I got in the U.S. turned me from coal to diamond. For example, I learned that many young Americans prefer to go on their own rather than rely on their parents’ position or connections as often happens in my country. So when I returned to Pakistan, I started my own company.

Today I am a successful businessman and my company, Raffles, is a leader in information technology in Pakistan. But I have faced many challenges. Initially, no major customers wanted to do business with my firm because it was unknown, and I insisted on dealing only in licensed software. But I kept pushing myself and working hard, patiently trying to convince potential customers that we offer a great value. Eventually, I succeeded. What I have learned is that, if you have the right intentions, work toward your goal day and night, and don’t cut corners, there is no reason why you cannot reach it. I believe that members of younger generations should think as entrepreneurs, no matter what they plan to do in life. You can start up your own small company, but whatever you do never lose confidence in yourself and your skills and try to persevere when you encounter problems. Never stop striving to excel. If before you fall asleep you can remember one or two things you did that have made a difference, you’re on the right track.

Future Activities

Muslim Advocates Webinar on Non-profit  documentation

On Tuesday, April 27th and Wednesday, April 28, Muslim Advocates will host duplicate webinar trainings on filing Internal Revenue Service Form 990, a document many nonprofits must submit to government by May 17. More information

A Probing Look at Racial Profiling in post-9/11 U.S.

What: Launch and screening of Americans on Hold

When: Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 6-8 PM

Where: Furman Hall Room 216, 245 Sullivan Street, NYU School of Law

RSVP to Kelly Ryan at ryank@exchange.law.nyu.edu

Upcoming Seminars at Think Tanks

To get information about future seminars and events relating to US-Pakistan relations, please visit the following websites

Atlantic Council

Brookings Institution

Heritage Foundation

Middle East Institute

SAIS