NEW YORK, Nov 27: Pakistani-Americans in the United States have condemned the statement of an eight-member delegation of the Overseas Pakistani Foundation led by Saghir Tahir saying Pakistanis are not discriminated in US, nor being harassed by the law-enforcement agencies, or threatened by the locals.

Shaukat Sindhu, Chairman of Pakistan American Association of North America, (PAANA) pointed out that over 1,000 Pakistanis have been jailed since Sept 11 attacks most of them without any charge.

He pointed out that after Sept 11, one Pakistani citizen was murdered last month in Dallas, Texas, a former Pakistani journalist was beaten in New York City, one Pakistani Student was beaten in the INS Deportation Cell in the presence of INS officials, several other beating cases were reported from other parts of the United States. More than 165 Pakistanis were arrested by the FBI on suspicion of connection with WTC attack, most of them were shifted to INS in violation of the law.

Mr Sindhu said that the PAANA had received hundreds of reports of hate crimes and discrimination daily. The association claims to have 60,000 Pakistani members spread all across the United States and Canada. Saying that Saghir Tahir, a member of New Hampshire legislature does not represent the Pakistani community in the United States, Sindhu pointed out that despite efforts of the Bush administration hate crimes against the Muslims in general and Pakistanis in particular continue unabated.

Shafqat Tanvir who is a member of newly formed Pakistani American Civil Liberties Association said that the arrests of Pakistanis is pervasive particularly on immigration related charges and the association has sought a list from the FBI.

Mr Tanvir said that the New York based association has hired American lawyers to seek information from US law enforcement authorities about the Pakistanis languishing in American jails. He also said that most of the Pakistanis who have overstayed their visas are handed over to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. But, he said that many legal residents and even Pakistani-Americans remain in jail for days and it takes major efforts to get them out of prisons.

A 23 year old Pakistani girl, was in jail for five weeks because she did not have green card although her brother a Pakistani-American had sponsored her. It took major efforts by the lawyers to have her released on bail.

During his visit to New York this month Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf heard complaints from Pakistani leaders and he assured them that he would take up the issue with US government. Pakistan embassy and consular offices were asked to set up complaint hotlines to verify arrests of Pakistanis.

Several Pakistani associations including PAANA demanded that US President Bush should issue a special directive to INS and all other law enforcement agencies to pay a special attention to the increasing hate crimes against the Americans of Pakistani origin in the United States.

“While we are at war against terrorism all over the world, We must fight the terrorism against innocent Pakistanis living in the United States,” Sindhu said in a statement

Among all the Muslim and South Asian countries Pakistan has always proved to be the strongest US ally. Today the government of Pakistan has come out to support the US and be the front line state in the war against terrorism By doing so, its not only at the risk of its own overthrow but also initiation of civil war in the country, Sindhu said. In Chicago 300 Americans walked towards a mosque, broke glasses, attacked on a school bus carrying Muslim children, and police only arrested three Americans Sindhu pointed out.

Since Sept 11 attack the local authorities have asked the Muslims not to open the Mosques in the dark, thus the Mosques remained closed for morning, and night prayers. However, since beginning of Ramazan mosques have been allowed to open at night too. Almost every mosque is guarded by local police patrol cars.

President Bush in an extraordinary effort to underscore his commitment to harmony and peace between Muslims and other groups hosted an Iftar party for the ambassadors of Muslim countries last week in Washington.