Tell President Obama to stop drone attacks on Pakistan! It is a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. Bring the troops home! Not a single penny for war! This was the loud and clear message coming from Shahid Comrade, secretary of the Pakistan USA Freedom Forum outside of the Roosevelt Hotel as Richard Holbrook was leaving a joint press conference with the Pakistani foreign minister on Thursday September 24th, 2009. Comrade was coming from an action just four blocks away at the World of Astoria Hotel where Pakistan USA Freedom Forum and Voice of Pakistanis Abroad had just held a demonstration. Friends of Democratic Pakistan was holding a conference there with President Obama, United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President of Pakistan Asif Zardari, and other representatives from the IMF and World Bank. Pakistan USA Freedom Forum, Voice of Pakistanis Abroad, Tehreek Mohasba, World Can’t Wait, and Civil Society, IAC, TROOPS OUT NOW, along with other conscious New Yorkers held this demonstration to say that if you are really friends of democratic Pakistan, bring the US/NATO troops home, stop bombing civilians, and respect the sovereignty of the country and international laws and treaties. Stop the torture! Open the files of the Bush regime; every country that was aligned with Bush should open their files to their own people. They also demand that Mr. Musharraf should be put on trial and that the Pakistani government should release the disappeared people who were abducted by Mr. Musharraf and pay them and their families for their damages.
Please see the pictures (attached), 3 of which are from the demonstration against “Friends of Democratic Pakistan” in New York on September 24, and 1 (IMAGE_1558.JPG) is from July 27 when President Obama spoke at the Hilton Hotel in New York at the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP.
Free Kashmir
No Indian Army
PAKISTAN – USA FREEDOM FORUM
82-44 243rd Street
Bellerose, NY 11426
(718) 343-1653 or (718) 763-3543
E-mail: pakusaff@hotmail.com
End Raids and
Deportations
Stop Dividing
Families
“FRIENDS OF WAR, TORTURE AND TERROR, NOT OF PAKISTAN” (updated)
The Pakistani community living abroad strongly resents the empty gesture of the so-called “Friends of Pakistan”. Since its inception on September 26, 2008, in New York, it has done nothing to help the people of Pakistan, thus these “Friends of Pakistan” have in reality become “Foes of Pakistan”. Their interest is just in a few ruling elites, not in helping the people of Pakistan. We were promise $100 billion, but we received only pennies.
We believe that an independent nation like Pakistan does not need a charity summit but is owed reparations. Pakistan helped 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 current terrorism campaign Pakistan is playing a pivotal role as a frontline state. Pakistan has deployed more than 180,000 soldiers in the tribal areas to support NATO forces. Pakistan has lost more people than NATO in this war and has suffered tremendous economic loss due to its direct involvement. After such extraordinary sacrifices, Pakistan needs compensation for those losses from these so called “Friends of Pakistan,” not charity.
The Pakistani people would be pleased if these friends can help Pakistan by asking United States and NATO to leave Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. They can help by setting up International Committees to solve disputed issues like Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya and Somalia, by removing restrictions towards Pakistani immigrants living in Europe and America, by providing scholarships to Pakistani students in the US and European universities, by providing technical cooperation to develop civil nuclear technology to overcome our energy shortage, which is hampering economic development. They can help by providing immigration to educated youth to keep them away from terrorist activities. They can help by stopping cross-border attacks and respecting Pakistani sovereignty. Instead of holding such humiliating conferences, these “friends” can help by reimbursing Pakistan for the use of its air bases and land for moving NATO troops and goods to Afghanistan and by stopping drone attacks. Just holding useless and degrading conferences is no help to Pakistan.
Pakistan is in great danger as a result of 10 years of Musharraf’s dictatorship under U.S. supervision. The lack of democracy forced a domestic war upon us by United States and the displacement of 3 million people from the Northwest region left Pakistan in shambles and ruined its economy. Pakistan needs at least $200 billion to establish and rebuild institutions that suffered badly from the support Pakistan gave to the US and Western powers and from the destruction of democratic institutions, schools and ecological problems. Prove that you are true Friends of Pakistan by paying back your dues, and ask NATO and the US to leave Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.
Pakistan is in a dire position. There are now over 100,000 US and NATO troops which must leave the country. Those parties that up to now have been in “friendly opposition” because they don’t want to oppose an “elected government” must decide whether they want to become a real opposition and stand up for the sovereignty of the country. Nawaz Sharif already made a deal (although he denied it) with Musharraf, through the Saudis and through them with the US, which allowed him to go into exile in return for Saudi oil. Mr. Sharif, as leader of the second largest party in the country, the future will show whether you will make another deal or become a real patriot!
Solidarity with the Honduran People, who are also suffering under a military dictatorship.
For further information, please contact: Shahid Comrade (917-280-0840) or Mashal Anjum (732-570-4076) or Kouser Izhar (732-829-2601).
Shahid Comrade
Secretary General (917) 280-0840
Dr. Mohammed Shafique
President (718) 343-1653
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