VTMBH Article: Body
American officials are continuing their campaign against U.S.-based Pakistanis, citizens of an important American ally in the War On Terrorism. More than 1,700 Pakistanis have been detained in this country on immigration charges; many have been deported.
The FBI and INS are focusing on Brooklyn, where Pakistanis live and their businesses are based. Authorities are knocking on Pakistanis doors late at night, questioning the residents, searching their houses and arresting those they find to be undocumented immigrants. Some report that officials are seizing even legal documents of people they question.
Yesterday at 7 a.m. FBI raided the apartment of Colonel Mohammed Latif in a building at Avenue K and 13th Street. At that hour, most people in the house were asleep. When Mrs. Latif opened the door, six men barged in without identifying themselves or showing a warrant. They went into the living room, picked up a displayed photograph and claimed that it matched the person they were looking for. Colonel Latif tried to calm them down by saying that the photograph in question was of his son who, at that time, was at work. The officials asked Colonel Latif to produce identification. Other men took Mrs. Latif to her bedroom and demanded identification papers. They checked the bathrooms as well. Before leaving, they produced a picture of a Mr. Khan, and asked questions about him.
A few days before the raid at Colonel Latifs, the police raided several apartments in his building, again without presenting a warrant. They woke people up, asked them about other residents in the building, all on the pretext of inquiring about a certain Zafar Mehmood.
The same day, at 1360 Ocean Avenue, the police arrested a man for holding two sets of IDs.
On 86th Street, officials arrested three men for allegedly being undocumented. When a legal resident living there protested that the officials entered the house without a warrant, the authorities told him to be patient. The next day, they returned with a warrant for his arrest.
In another incident, immigration officials arrested the proprietor of Honey Locksmith on charges of immigrating under a false name. They confiscated the papers of his American citizen brother and family. The younger men of the household protested and told the officials to get out since they were there without a warrant. The officials came back a few days later and questioned the family about how they became legal. At this point the head of the family said that he would call 911 and say that people have barged into his house and are stealing his legal documents. At that moment the officials conferred together and then gave them back their documents.
The families of many deported persons are still here; they are poor, lost and suffering. Of the approximately13 million illegal residents in the United States, an estimated 50,000 are Pakistanis, and it seems like officials are singling them out.
Of the 19 hijackers, 16 were from Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates, and one was from Lebanon. None were from Pakistan and no Pakistanis have been convicted in relation to September 11th, but its Pakistanis who are suffering.
Immediately after September 11th American authorities were also raiding Arab communities, but under pressure from Arab governments, they have reduced the number of those raids to almost zero.
Meanwhile, though President Prevez Musharref is lauded every day by politicians as an ally in the war against terrorism, the one million Pakistanis living in the United States, both here legally and illegally, are terrified.
Musharref, on his tour of the United States, claimed that he would talk to the Bush Administration about easing the pressure on Pakistani communities here. Musharref reneging on his promise is not a new thing.
In Pakistan, Musharrefs popularity is rapidly declining and resentment against American policy is on the rise. Al Qaeda and its supporters in Pakistan will take advantage of this situation. Pakistan is a frontline state in the war against terrorism and the majority of the Pakistani public does not support the Taliban or clerical rule. However, actions against Pakistanis in America are on the rise.
In the U.S.-based Pakistani community, there is very little organizing and protest. But fear and terror against arrests and deportations is endemic.
It seems that the Bush administration does not care about the sentiments of the Pakistani public either in Pakistan or here. This will not help them in their War on Terror.
Moreover, many U.S.-based Pakistanis are thinking of migrating again, to Canada or Europe. Their businesses are suffering.
The FBI and INS are focusing on Brooklyn, where Pakistanis live and their businesses are based. Authorities are knocking on Pakistanis doors late at night, questioning the residents, searching their houses and arresting those they find to be undocumented immigrants. Some report that officials are seizing even legal documents of people they question.
Yesterday at 7 a.m. FBI raided the apartment of Colonel Mohammed Latif in a building at Avenue K and 13th Street. At that hour, most people in the house were asleep. When Mrs. Latif opened the door, six men barged in without identifying themselves or showing a warrant. They went into the living room, picked up a displayed photograph and claimed that it matched the person they were looking for. Colonel Latif tried to calm them down by saying that the photograph in question was of his son who, at that time, was at work. The officials asked Colonel Latif to produce identification. Other men took Mrs. Latif to her bedroom and demanded identification papers. They checked the bathrooms as well. Before leaving, they produced a picture of a Mr. Khan, and asked questions about him.
A few days before the raid at Colonel Latifs, the police raided several apartments in his building, again without presenting a warrant. They woke people up, asked them about other residents in the building, all on the pretext of inquiring about a certain Zafar Mehmood.
The same day, at 1360 Ocean Avenue, the police arrested a man for holding two sets of IDs.
On 86th Street, officials arrested three men for allegedly being undocumented. When a legal resident living there protested that the officials entered the house without a warrant, the authorities told him to be patient. The next day, they returned with a warrant for his arrest.
In another incident, immigration officials arrested the proprietor of Honey Locksmith on charges of immigrating under a false name. They confiscated the papers of his American citizen brother and family. The younger men of the household protested and told the officials to get out since they were there without a warrant. The officials came back a few days later and questioned the family about how they became legal. At this point the head of the family said that he would call 911 and say that people have barged into his house and are stealing his legal documents. At that moment the officials conferred together and then gave them back their documents.
The families of many deported persons are still here; they are poor, lost and suffering. Of the approximately13 million illegal residents in the United States, an estimated 50,000 are Pakistanis, and it seems like officials are singling them out.
Of the 19 hijackers, 16 were from Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates, and one was from Lebanon. None were from Pakistan and no Pakistanis have been convicted in relation to September 11th, but its Pakistanis who are suffering.
Immediately after September 11th American authorities were also raiding Arab communities, but under pressure from Arab governments, they have reduced the number of those raids to almost zero.
Meanwhile, though President Prevez Musharref is lauded every day by politicians as an ally in the war against terrorism, the one million Pakistanis living in the United States, both here legally and illegally, are terrified.
Musharref, on his tour of the United States, claimed that he would talk to the Bush Administration about easing the pressure on Pakistani communities here. Musharref reneging on his promise is not a new thing.
In Pakistan, Musharrefs popularity is rapidly declining and resentment against American policy is on the rise. Al Qaeda and its supporters in Pakistan will take advantage of this situation. Pakistan is a frontline state in the war against terrorism and the majority of the Pakistani public does not support the Taliban or clerical rule. However, actions against Pakistanis in America are on the rise.
In the U.S.-based Pakistani community, there is very little organizing and protest. But fear and terror against arrests and deportations is endemic.
It seems that the Bush administration does not care about the sentiments of the Pakistani public either in Pakistan or here. This will not help them in their War on Terror.
Moreover, many U.S.-based Pakistanis are thinking of migrating again, to Canada or Europe. Their businesses are suffering.