January 17, 2003	Friday	Ziqa'ad 13, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 16: The American Muslim Alliance and the Pakistan American Democratic Forum (PADF) — two leading organizations in California — have jointly installed a hotline for Pakistanis who may need help in the INS Registration process.

California has one of the largest concentration of Pakistani and Muslim population in the Untied States.

The toll free number 1-866-815-PADF or 1-866-815-7233 would be staffed by a number of volunteers who would be available for consultation and advice from 6 am to 10 pm (Pacific Time).

The hotline was part of the efforts of the AMA and PADF to help Pakistanis and other Muslim non-immigrants who were required to register with the INS.

Feb 2 had been declared as the last date for the Pakistanis to get themselves registered.

No detention of Pakistani nationals was reported from the INS San Francisco office where very few had so far turned up for registration.

The American Muslim Alliance and the Pakistan American Democratic Forum had urged the community to extend all out financial and moral support to those Pakistanis who may be detained, deported or need any help.

“Now, instead of trying to change the INS policy of registration, we are preparing the community to deal with its consequences,” said American Muslim Alliance chairman Dr Agha Saeed.

He said that the INS registration policy was a crushing blow to the popular view, at least among the immigrants, that the United States guaranteed due process and equal justice to all.

Mr Saeed said: “Many working class non-immigrants are now weary about US Attorney General Ashcroft’s deeply held Christian beliefs and the Christian’s rights influence over his Justice Department. It is fast becoming the war (crusade) that President Bush has repeatedly said it is not,” Dr. Agha Saeed added.