|
Pictures above: PAL-C officials with US Senators and Congressmen whom
they met in Washington, DC
Washington, DC: Members
of the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) met
several US Congressmen to congratulate them and also
held discussions of mutual interests about Pakistan, US-
Pakistan
relations and the role of the thriving Pakistani-American
community.
Some of the Congressmen also discussed issues such as
bilateral trade between Pakistan and the USA, improving
and modernizing
education in Pakistan, and defense cooperation between
the two allies.
PAL-C informed the members of the Congress about its mission,
its strength, its future goals and its efforts already
underway. PAL-C also discussed its desire to place talented
Pakistani
American students and young professionals as interns and
staff members in respected offices on Capitol Hill. Finally,
members of PAL-C urged the Congressmen to remain committed
to the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and in the case of
new members of Congress, urged them to become members of
the
Caucus.
PAL-C was represented by Executive Director Mr. Ali Chaudhry
and National Director Mr. Mossadaq Chughtai.
Cordial meetings were held with the offices of the following
members of the Pakistan Caucus:
1. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) - Co-Chair of
the Caucus
2. Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ)
3. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
4. Congressman Al Green (R-TX)
5. Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
6. Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
PAL-C members also met with
the teams of the following Congressmen and urged them to
join the Pakistan Caucus:
1. Congressman David Scott (D-GA)
2. Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
The leadership of PAL-C also
met with the teams of several new Congressmen. PAL-C explained
its objectives to the
freshman members of Congress and discussed ways of working
together
for the betterment of the community. The offices of the
following new Congressmen were briefed:
1. Congressman Nick Lampson (D-TX)
2. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD)
3. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN)
All in all, PAL-C established
a working relationship with new members of Congress and
re-invigorated ties with committed
members of the Pakistan Caucus. The Pakistani American
Leadership Center vows to continue working with the US
Congress and
the Pakistani American community to facilitate communication
between them. “As we enter 2007, PAL-C remains committed
to empowering, educating and mobilizing the Pakistani Americans
community to take a more active role in the American political
arena,” says a PAL-C press release. |
