Wednesday, May 20, 2009

New York for Sovereignty of Pakistan

On May 10th Pakistan USA Freedom Forum (PUFF) arranged a demonstration outside the Roosevelt Hotel where Pakistani President Zardari was talking to some members of the Pakistani community (mostly members of the governing party) and press. The demonstration was against Drone attacks on the sovereignty of Pakistan and the presence of US bases on Pakistani territory. Different international human right organizations participated in this demonstration. The most prominent were International Action Center (IAC, founded by Ramsey Clark, former Attorney General of USA), May 1st Coalition – the coalition of hundred leading organizations fighting for the integrity of the laborers and legalization of the immigrants in USA), Bail Out the People coalition, Million Worker March (which is the pioneer of the famous independent rally in DC for workers rights), Coney Island Project (working for immigrant rights), Workers World Party – leading progressive voice, ANP (Awami National Party which is in power in NWFP, Pakistan), Khyber Society (social organization based on Pushtoon immigrants) and various other groups representing different communities from New York.

Inside the meeting a fistfight broke out between two groups, one supporting Hussain Hakkani, Ambassador to Washington (who benefited from the NRO amnesty order of dictator Musharraf), and the other supporting Abdulla Hussain Haroon, Ambassador to the UN (it is suspected that he is the guy who supplied Zardari with everything he needed when Zardari was in jail living like a lord). This is a very natural out come when a party does not hold ellections and only rely on sellection only, and People's party never had party elections for more then fourty years since it was founded by late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

HANDS-OFF PAKISTAN!


Published May 6, 2009 3:11 PM
More and more, U.S. imperialism is making Pakistan a battleground in its ugly war to achieve unchallenged control of western Asia. And more and more, the Pentagon’s cold, high-tech ratcheting up of death and destruction is driving the Pakistani people into open resistance.
Mountain villages that once rarely saw a car are now the targets of pilotless drones—the latest deadly gimmick in a remote-controlled war where the actual pilots sit in Arizona or Nevada. These automatons of the U.S. Air Force, trained on computer games to have absolutely no conscience or sense of humanity, push buttons that tell the Predator and Reaper drones to rain down real bombs and Hellfire missiles on their targets, incinerating whole families. How can they then go home at the end of the day and react with normal human feelings? Ah, but the U.S. military has hired whole schools of people with degrees in psychology to help them shake off any feelings of guilt or shame.
This is the total moral bankruptcy that a permanent warfare state produces. It is the mindset cultivated by a ruling class that values the world’s people only as labor to be exploited in pursuit of profit—all in the name of “progress” and “development.” Those who stand in the way, even if they are only defending the land and homes that sheltered their folk back into the mists of time, are expendable.
But to hear the generals and the politicians in Washington tell it, the U.S. is very worried about the “stability” of Pakistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff head Adm. Mike Mullen says he is “gravely concerned” about Taliban advances in Pakistan and Afghanistan. National security adviser Gen. James L. Jones described the situation in Pakistan as “one of the very most serious problems we face.” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton even called Pakistan a “mortal threat” to the U.S. because it possesses nuclear weapons.
These highly publicized statements are meant to soften up the population here for even more U.S. intervention in Pakistan. They also provide Congress with an excuse to pass another whopping “supplemental” bill, now circulating in Congress and reported to have risen to $94 billion.
This amount is just to pay for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Pakistan. Since 9/11, the total spent on these supplemental appropriations—which are above and beyond the regular Pentagon budget—will add up to almost $1 trillion. In addition, the Pentagon routinely gets more than half a trillion dollars every year, supposedly to keep us all “safer,” even as tens of millions lose their homes and jobs because of the capitalist economic crisis.
According to an article in Congress Daily, the current supplemental bill includes “$400 million to train and equip the Pakistan military, a central piece of the new strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan announced by President Obama last month.”
Pakistan has suffered for decades under a series of military dictatorships supported by Washington and the Pentagon. The result has been great wealth for a few well-connected families and abysmal poverty for the vast majority. A rebellion against the last military dictator, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, ushered in a civilian government but one that is weak, corrupt and afraid to go against U.S. dictates. This has only fueled the Islamic opposition, which is strongest in the border areas with Afghanistan where the Pentagon has been openly violating Pakistan’s sovereignty for some time, bombings its villages with pilotless drones and staging attacks by Special Forces troops.
Thousands of people began fleeing the region when the Pakistani army, under strong pressure from Washington, began an offensive just one day before President Asif Ali Zardari was scheduled to meet President Barack Obama in Washington. Some half a million have been made refugees since the fighting began.
The U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan created this terrible situation in Pakistan. The people in the U.S. showed in 2006 and 2008 that they don’t want any of these wars. But elections don’t end imperialist wars. Only the independent, militant struggle of the people can bring the troops home and stop the killing.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

May 10th demonstration against Drone attacks on the sovereignty of Pakistan and the presence of US basis in Pakistan, and Free Missing People





On May 10th Pakistan USA Freedom arrange a demonstration against Drone attacks on the sovereignty of Pakistan and the presence of US basis on Pakistani territory. Different International human right organizations participated in this demonstration. The most prominent were International Action Center (IAC, founding by Ramzey Clark, former attorney general of USA), May 1st Coalition, The coalition of hundred leading organizations (who are fighting for the integrity of the labors and legalization of the immigrants in USA), Bail out the people coalition, Million worker march (who is the pioneer of the famous million rally in DC), Coney island project (working for immigrant rights), workers world, leading progressive voice, ANP (National party who is in Power in NWFP, Pakistan), Khebar society (Social organization based on Pakhtoon immigrants) and various other groups representing different communities from New York.

Dr, Muhammad Shafique (President Pakistan USA freedom forum)
Sara Flaunder (Executive Director IAC)
Heather Cotton (May 1st coalition)
Bill Dor (Leading voice for Palestine cause in USA)
Deadra (Member editorial board worker’s world paper)
Ehsan Boby (Coney Island project)
Fred Goldstien (Leading economist writer in USA)
Iqbal Ali (General Secretary ANP)
Zaman Afridi (Seretary Khebar society)
Laeek Ahmed (President Tehrik-e-Muhasba)

President Obama, Peace and respect will not come via pentagon!

Even after the downfall of former President Bush’s favorite dictator Musharraf, the misery of war is continuing in the hills of Pakistan. More than a half million people have fled from the killings by US-NATO forces and the Pakistani army in the Swat Valley. These miseries have been shown to the world, and again Pakistan has to spend loaned money to carry out its humanitarian tasks. These suffering people are the ones who really are looking for a change from Washington. That change, we believe, cannot happen unless foreign troops leave the region. This change needs leadership who believe in humanity and peace with justice, and who will not use national security and the so-called “war on terror” to justify foreign aggression. President Obama, as a student of law, you can only carry through this change if you are willing to bring to trial your predecessor who began these wars and ignored the Constitution.
Zardari was chosen President after the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, who made a secret deal with dictator Musharraf to fulfill the dirty goals of the West when she was in exile. That deal led to the National Reconciliation Order (NRO), under which those who looted the country of billions of dollars and committed murders, including the leaders of MQM, had the charges against them dropped so that they could commit their crimes again. President Zardari has the lowest ratings and is famous for denying his own words. He delayed for one month signing the deal with Sufi Mohammed to become law, which started the new fighting between the Pakistan army and the people of MWFP.
President Ahmed Karzai of Afghanistan personally knows the sacrifices of the Pakistani people for Afghani refugees and freedom fighters (who were supplied by U.S. imperialism for their own interests). The 7 years of invasion and of occupation has not brought peace and prosperity to the common Afghani people and now you are running with the warlord General Faheem as your vice-presidential candidate.
We hope that the meeting in Washington last week between Presidents Obama, Karzai and Zardari will bring peace in the region, so that the U.S. will stop spending $100 million a day on its 40,000 troops in Afghanistan and so that Pakistan will save the billions it is spending for its 200,00 soldiers involved directly or indirectly in this conflict.
We hope the following demands will help bring peace: 1) U.S. and all foreign troops out of Pakistan. 2) End all U.S. drone attacks and violations of Pakistani sovereignty. 3) Justice for Dr. Afiya Siddiqui and for all missing and abducted people in Pakistan. 4) End the occupations of Kashmir, Palestine and all other countries. 5) Abolish the 17th Amendment and Clause 58-2b of the Constitution of Pakistan. 6) NRO beneficiaries should not be named as ambassadors, ministers or party officials. 7) The president and ministers should resign their party positions. 8) Pakistan should never be used as a launching pad for attack against any country (in particular Iran). 9) U.S. and West, stop your double standard of providing nuclear technology to India and Israel while sanctioning Iran for developing peaceful nuclear energy.
We salute the struggles of the peoples of Nepal, Thailand, Burma, Somalia and the whole world who are fighting for peace, freedom and democracy.
On May 10th Pakistan USA Freedom Forum (PUFF) arranged a demonstration outside the Roosevelt Hotel where Pakistani President Zardari was talking to some members of the Pakistani community (mostly members of the governing party) and press. The demonstration was against Drone attacks on the sovereignty of Pakistan and the presence of US bases on Pakistani territory. Different international human right organizations participated in this demonstration. The most prominent were International Action Center (IAC, founded by Ramsey Clark, former Attorney General of USA), May 1st Coalition – the coalition of hundred leading organizations fighting for the integrity of the laborers and legalization of the immigrants in USA), Bail Out the People coalition, Million Worker March (which is the pioneer of the famous independent rally in DC for workers rights), Coney Island Project (working for immigrant rights), Workers World Party – leading progressive voice, ANP (Awami National Party which is in power in NWFP, Pakistan), Khyber Society (social organization based on Pushtoon immigrants) and various other groups representing different communities from New York.

Inside the meeting a fistfight broke out between two groups, one supporting Hussain Hakkani, Ambassador to Washington (who benefited from the NRO amnesty order of dictator Musharraf), and the other supporting Abdulla Hussain Haroon, Ambassador to the UN (it is suspected that he is the guy who supplied Zardari with everything he needed when Zardari was in jail living like a lord). This is a very natural out come when a party does not hold ellections and only rely on sellection only, and People's party never had party elections for more then fourty years since it was founded by late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Meet "Friends of Pakistan"?! 04-15-2009

Meet “Friends of Pakistan” ?!

Pakistani Americans are deeply concerned about the current economic situation in the United States. We feel empathetic towards American people and anticipate that the administration will change its policies for the benefit of ordinary citizens instead of helping corporations and their CEOs.

The Pakistani community living abroad strongly feels that the effort of the so-called “Friends of Pakistan”, formed on September 26, 2008, in New York, to help Pakistan is not the right way to support the country. We believe that an independent nation like Pakistan does not need a charity summit but is owed reparations. Pakistan helped the USA and the rest of the world to defeat the USSR during their occupation of Afghanistan and became host to 5 million refugees from Afghanistan due to this war. During the terrorism campaign Pakistan is playing a pivotal role as a frontline state. Pakistan has deployed more than 150,000 soldiers in the tribal areas to support NATO forces. Pakistan has lost more people than NATO and has suffered tremendous economic loss due to its direct involvement. The result is bad law and a poor economic status due to this war. After such extraordinary sacrifices Pakistan needs compensation for those losses from these so called “Friends of Pakistan,” not charity.

The Pakistani people would be very happy if these friends (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, etc.) can help Pakistan by asking NATO to leave Afghanistan and Iraq and influence Americans to stop selling arms to Israel and India, since this is against international peace pacts and will negatively affect the peace process in Asia and Middle East. They can also set up international committees to start working on disputed territories (Kashmir and Palestine), and correct their discrimination towards Pakistani immigrants living in Europe and America. We think the best way to help Pakistan is to stop cross-border attacks and respect Pakistani sovereignty. Instead of holding such degrading conferences, these “friends” should ensure that NATO reimburse Pakistan for the use of its land for moving NATO troops and goods to Afghanistan, exploiting its other resources (such as the loss of Pakistani lives due to cross-border attacks), and should ensure payments of compensation to victims of cross-border attacks, as they did in the case of the alleged Libyan attack on a civil airline in England.

We are worried and concerned about the deteriorating relationship between the Americans and Pakistanis due to undue pressure of America on the democratic government. Pakistan is in great danger as a result of 10 years of Musharraf’s dictatorship. A lack of democracy ruined its economy and the law and order situation is in shambles. There is poverty across the country. According to international economists, the country needs at least $150 billion to survive and to rebuild institutions that suffered badly from the support Pakistan gave to the US and Western powers and from the destruction by US and Western-backed dictators. This is definitely not sufficient, since 60 years of alliance with America and Allied Forces has put the country at collateral and economic damage. In addition, the friends of Pakistan, the US and European universities should make available immigration and scholarships to Pakistani students. We need technical cooperation to develop civil nuclear technology to overcome our energy shortage which is hampering economic development.

Our record shows that we are a nation of great principles, that we have stood by our friends, and have fought wars against aggression, and now we deserve support from “Friends of Pakistan”; after the $150 billion in reparations are paid, they need to really show they are friends of Pakistan by continued support until Pakistan is back on its feet. At the same time it has every right to use any weapon (F16 / F18) to defend its boundaries against anyone who will use Air Strikes and war on land.

PUFF issued the following statement in 2008 at the time of first meeting of so called friends and friends of Pakistan. it is very unfortunate that the situation has gone worst since then due to the drone attacks inside Pakistan and puppet governments of Dictator Mush/ Mr Shaukat Aziz and President Asif Benazir's governments who carried out the operations on the innocent civilians at the orders of uncle Sam and NATO that killed hundreds and also cost the Pakistani tax payers in billions $. In this situation how could you expect that some investor would like to do investment in the country when the two top leaders Mr Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Benazir are not sure to investing in Pakistan.

Protest the Visit of Pakistani President Asif Zardari Benazir Bhutto

Free Kashmir End the Raids and
No Indian Army Deportations Stop
dividing Families
PAKISTAN – USA FREEDOM FORUM
82-44 243 St., Bellerose, NY 11426
Tel (718) 343-1653 or (718) 763-3543
E-mail: pakusaff@hotmail.com



Protest the Visit of Pakistani President Asif Zardari Benazir Bhutto

Even after the downfall of former President Bush’s favorite dictator Musharraf, the misery of war is continuing in the hills of Pakistan. More than a half million people have fled from the killings by US-NATO forces and the Pakistani army in the Swat Valley. These miseries have been shown to the world, and again Pakistan has to spend loaned money to carry out its humanitarian tasks. These suffering people are the ones who really are looking for a change from Washington. That change, we believe, cannot happen unless foreign troops leave the region. This change needs leadership who believe in humanity and peace with justice, and who will not use national security and the so-called “war on terror” to justify foreign aggression. President Obama, as a student of law, you can only carry through this change if you are willing to bring to trial your predecessor who began these wars and ignored the Constitution.
Zardari was chosen President after the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, who made a secret deal with dictator Musharraf to fulfill the dirty goals of the West when she was in exile. That deal led to the National Reconciliation Order (NRO), under which those who looted the country of billions of dollars and committed murders, including the leaders of MQM, had the charges against them dropped so that they could commit their crimes again. President Zardari has the lowest ratings and is famous for denying his own words. He delayed for one month signing the deal with Sufi Mohammed to become law, which started the new fighting between the Pakistan army and the people of NWFP.
President Ahmed Karzai of Afghanistan personally knows the sacrifices of the Pakistani people for Afghani refugees and freedom fighters (who were supplied by U.S. imperialism for their own interests). The 7 years of invasion and of occupation has not brought peace and prosperity to the common Afghani people and now you are running with the warlord General Faheem as your vice-presidential candidate.
We hope that the meeting in Washington last week between Presidents Obama, Karzai and Zardari will bring peace in the region, so that the U.S. will stop spending $100 million a day on its 40,000 troops in Afghanistan and so that Pakistan will save the billions it is spending for its 200,000 soldiers involved directly or indirectly in this conflict.
We hope the following demands will help bring peace: 1) U.S. and all foreign troops out of Pakistan. 2) End all U.S. drone attacks and violations of Pakistani sovereignty. 3) Justice for Dr. Afiya Siddiqui and for all missing and abducted people in Pakistan. 4) End the occupations of Kashmir, Palestine and all other countries. 5) Abolish the 17th Amendment and Clause 58-2b of the Constitution of Pakistan. 6) NRO beneficiaries should not be named as ambassadors, ministers or party officials. 7) The president and ministers should resign their party positions. 8) Pakistan should never be used as a launching pad for attack against any country (in particular Iran). 9) U.S. and West, stop your double standard of providing nuclear technology to India and Israel while sanctioning Iran for developing peaceful nuclear energy.
We salute the struggles of the peoples of Nepal, Thailand, Burma, Somalia and the whole world who are fighting for peace, freedom and democracy.
Dr. Muhammad Shafique
President Mr. Shahid Comrade
General Secretary
(917) 280-0840

CRY OF CONSCIENCE AGAINST WARS/DRONES

Free Kashmir No Indian Army PAKISTAN – USA FREEDOM FORUM 82-44 243 St., Bellerose, NY 11426 Tel (718) 343-1653 or (718) 763-3543 E-mail: pa...