PAKPAC Seminar at AAPNA Jul4th 1 The Future of Advocacy of Pakistani American Community in United States: Challenges and Opportunities

PAKPAC Seminar at AAPNA Jul4th 1

The Future of Advocacy of Pakistani American Community in United States: Challenges and Opportunities


If you do not turn on to politics, the politics will

turn on to you.


In politics, an organized minority is a political

majority


• What is at Stake • The future of our children in United

States needs to remain bright’• Equal opportunities• Ease of travel to Pakistan and back• Equal access to family who want to

immigrate to United States


• What is at Stake (Contd) • Challenges in US-Pakistan relations• Our opportunity to make a difference

knowing both the countries and people• Support to the people of Pakistan with

respect to the development of infra structure

• Being a part of the process


PAKPAC

Updates and Changes Within


Introduction to the Board



Mr. Rehman Bhatti






Saquib Khan







Muzammil Malik






Imran Shahab


PAKPAC Seminar at AAPNA Jul4th 27Zahid Ali Syed




Mohiuddin Zeb•


Farooq Soomro•


Jamila Khalil•



• Questions to be asked of NEW BOD members by nominating Committee

• What is your opinion of American political system? How do you propose we integrate Pakistani-Americans into mainstream of American politics?

• Are you currently or planning to be an active player in the political arena? If so in what capacity?

• What do you know about PAKPAC and / or other PACs ?

• What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of PAKPAC?


• What are your expectations from PAKPAC and

how do they fit into your personal goals? • How can you enhance the image and reach of

PAKPAC? What things would you do different in PAKPAC

• How can you help PAKPAC reach its objectives • How can you help nurture political activism

amongst fellow Pakistani-Americans in your area?

• Please submit a brief resume covering, but not limited to, education, professional and personal activities with particular emphasis on community affairs and political activism


Internal criteria for evaluating potential board of directors

1. Credibility of Individual in community

a. Local

b. National

c. International

2. State of Residency

3. Access to elected officials, Senators, Congressperson, etc

4. Access to US administration, think tanks, etc

5. Organization and other skills needed by PAKPAC

6. Capacity to raise funds

7. Source of recommendation

8. Occupation (area of expertise)


Approve

Disapprove

Approve

Notify Nominating BOD

Vote by BOD to ratify Nominating Committee decision

Current BOD reaches out to a prospective candidate for BOD position, and gets his/her concurrence

Nominating BOD submits resume of prospective BOD to Nomination Committee

Nominating Committee reviews candidacy with Nominating BOD

Vote by Nomination Committee about Candidate

Nomination Committee interviews candidate

NOMINATION PROCESS


Overlap on Issues

•

PAKPAC

PakistaniEmbassyUS

State Dept

Other PakOrganizations

People ofPakistan

People of US

AmericanMuslimGroups

AsianAmericans

ImmigrantCivil

Rights gps


Advocacy

• Local Processes

• National Processes

• Executive Government

• Think Tanks

• Media


Activists VS

Agitators VS

Advocates


Local Political Processes

• ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL

• Local databases for various parts of United States

• Experience and intellectual support ( Resource group)

• Financial + -(Processes are created to identify support)

• Introduction to larger community and community branding


National Political Process• Access points to Members of Congress

• Matching lists of community activists and Members

• Local capacity building- Workshops

• Staffers Update

• DC based meetings

• DC based events


Efficiency• Return on investment of time• DC Based Meetings have much

higher return.• Calculating efficiency is based on:

Out reach, message, development of “Friend” status “access” development.

• Politics is a process


Finances• Remains a challenge

• Community needs to look at this as an investment with a ROI.

• E.g. 100K investment for the Kerry Lugar$1=$75000 return

• Recent increase in 200 million dollars with 20K($1= $10,000 return)

• Buying access to educate Members.


Champions on the Hill


Pakistan Champions• Member of Congress

– Easily accessible (< 1 day)– Willing to write a strong letter for you– Willing to have his/her office work for you for a

DC based initiative– Stand up and make a strong statement on your

issue in House/ Senate– Set up Senior Secretarial- Exec Govt meetings

for you.– Write, sponsor, co sponsor or support your Bill


Executive Government

• State Department• DHS• DOJ• TSA• USCIS• Inter-Agency


Think Tanks• Updates and reports are provided

to main think tanks

• Policy writers network

• Policy recommendations


COMMUNITY: Pakistani Organizational Links Development

• Events based in DC we are trying to collaborate with other groups across United States

• Experience: Some organizations are on paper• Individuals representing organizations for X yrs

with no internal processes.• No access to Members, No financial capacities• Inaccurate representations


Pressure group• US

–Obama visit request

–200 M–Pakistan

interview

• Pakistan–Oversight–Questions–Asking for

policies & positions


Web Presence• Web based events

• Web based fund raising

• Face book

• Twitter

• Flickr

• Wordpress Blogs

• DC based web hits the highest amongst the hits

• 5-600 hits/ day


PAC VS Foundation

• Contribution post TAX

• Contribution to political campaigns

• Can endorse reps

• Needed for political growth and process

• 501 C3

• Tax deductible

• Civil Education work

• Workshops

• Grants

• Internships


Capacity Building• Youth Leadership Workshops

• Internship

• Advocacy workshops– How to access your Member of Congress– Joining a “Day on Hill”– Effective messages

Maybe with: APPNA SAYA/ APPNA Spouse gp.


Internship• DC based one week of intense overview

of political processes in DC

• Exec Government/ DOJ/ DHS/ TSA

• Meetings with Muslim Staffers

• Meetings with Legislators

• Thank Tanks

• Media Representatives


What we need• Access to Members of Congress• Financial support for Fund Raisers• Financial support for the PAC• Community advocates• Honest, committed, selfless people willing to

build on what has been achieved• Engaged community willing to support• Young volunteers



What can you do to HELP!!!

Documents

PAKPAC Seminar at AAPNA Jul4th 1 The Future of Advocacy of Pakistani American Community in United States: Challenges and Opportunities