SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 2: Eleven major Pakistani-American organizations, working under the umbrella of Pakistan American National Alliance (PANA), have established a Legal Defence Fund to help Pakistani detainees and their families.

The Legal Defence Fund was launched after a tele-conference of the 11 organizations to deal with the impending risk of mass arrests of non-immigrant Pakistanis, who are required to register with the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS).

Pakistanis are required to register at the INS offices between Jan 13 to Feb 21. The Legal Fund will provide help to those Pakistanis who may face problem with the INS.

Alarmed by the recent arrest of Muslims in southern California and elsewhere, Pakistani organizations from across the United States — Boston, Chicago, Connecticut, Long Island, Los Angles, New York, Washington, and San Francisco — have come together under PANA with unprecedented enthusiasm and willingness to work together. They have also stepped up a petition campaign, urging Attorney-General Ashcroft to remove Pakistan from the INS registration list and stop harassment of Muslims.

The following two categories of Pakistani nationals are required to appear before an INS officer no sooner than Jan 13, 2003, and no later than Feb 21, 2003:

1. Males born on or before Jan 13, 1987.

2. Those who were last admitted to the United States on or before Sept 30, 2002, and who will remain in the United States until at least February 21, 2003.

The organizations are: Council of Pakistani American Affairs (COPAA); Federation of Pakistani American Associations (FPMA); Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA); National Council of Pakistani-Americans, D.C; National Council of Pakistani-Americans -New York; Pakistan American Democratic Forum (PADF); Pakistan Association of Greater Boston (PAGB); Pakistani American Association of Connecticut (PAACT); Pakistani American Action Committee of North America (PAACNA); Pakistani American Congress (PAC); and Pakistani American Council of Texas (PACT).