SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 22: The Pakistan American Democratic Forum has launched a nationwide campaign to establish a Congressional Caucus on Pakistan. The move was announced by Dr Agha Saeed, a member of the PADF strategic group, at a forum meeting here.

Dr Agha Saeed said that in early 1990s, a caucus on Pakistan-US relations was formed through the efforts of the PADF and other Pakistani organizations. But Newt Gangrich, the then Speaker of the House of Representative revised the law that required the law makers to spend some of their resources on creating and maintaining these caucuses.

The existing caucuses were also required to be reorganize in accordance with the new law. The Congressional caucus on Pakistan faded into the oblivion.

The congress has a number of caucuses such as the Black Caucus, the Women Caucus and the Latino Caucus. There is also an Indian Caucus.

Dr Agha Saeed was of the view that the absence of such a caucus has been an added handicap for the Pakistanis and Pakistani Americans in terms of projecting Pakistan’s point of view and getting it communicated to the law makers. “No single effort will enable Pakistani-Americans to influence the US policy making process but creating such a caucus that will definitely strengthen these efforts.”

He said that support for such a caucus can strengthen demands that four Indian organizations should be banned.