USPAK wishes its supporters Eid Mubarik, and may your prayers and supplications get fulfilled.  Help us Help You USPAK is a volunteer organization working for the betterment of Pakistani Americans. Our efforts are focused on developing future leaders of our country from within our community. We also work to address issues of concern of our community, ranging from immigration, civil liberties, religious freedom, and socio-economic development of Pakistani American community. In this blessed month of Ramadan, a month of spiritual well being, charity, and helping others, help us strengthen our United Voices. We are encouraged to be generous during this time of purification. If during this month of reflection and prayer you feel moved to offer charity, we humbly request that you consider supporting USPAK Foundation. Your support today can ensure that Pakistani Americans have a place at the table, as we shape the policies on immigration, the economy and civil rights. You can help build a more vibrant and inclusive democracy Can we count on you to help? Can you donate $500, $250 or $150 today? Click here to Donate Now. USPAK is a 501 c3 non-profit organization; your donation qualifies for tax deduction. It is through the help of our supporters like you that we are able carry on our vision promoting the ambitions and aspirations of Pakistani Americans.
News Pakistan celebrates Independence Day Pakistan Independence day was celebrated at Embassy of Pakistan with a ceremony of hosting of Pakistani Flag. Various events are planned in major cities in USA in the next two weekends to celebrate Pakistan's 66th Independence day.
Secretary Clinton message on Pakistan Independence day On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the government and people of Pakistan as you celebrate the anniversary of your independence this August 14. Since 1947, Pakistan has persevered in the face of immense challenges to build upon the democratic ideals of your country's founders. Today, we take time to honor your sacrifices and renew our support for a stable and secure Pakistan for generations to come. Muhammad Ali Jinnah dreamt of a vibrant, self-reliant Pakistan – a goal we all share. As Muslims around the world reflect upon the meaning of community and sacrifice during this holy month of Ramadan, the United States celebrates the hardworking Pakistanis who strive to fulfill Jinnah's vision of a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan.
Obama praises Huma Abedin, Muslim American aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton President Obama on Friday voiced strong support for Huma Abedin, saying the top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been "nothing less than extraordinary in representing our country and the democratic values that we hold dear." Obama praised Abedin during remarks at a White House iftar dinner to mark the end of the fasting during the Ramadan holiday observed by Muslims. Abedin has been subject to unproven accusations by some House Republicans, including Michelle Bachmann (Minn.), that she is part of a conspiracy by the Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate the top reaches of the U.S. government. Read More Blogger sets out to change image of Pakistanis A blogger for the last two years on topics ranging from international relations to social issues, Mehreen Kasana got sick of comments posted on her blog asking whether all Pakistanis were extremists. "When it comes to international media and reporting, a stereotype has been established of Pakistanis as people full of hate," said the 23-year-old student of FC College, where she studies media and political science. "People would post on my blog asking whether Pakistanis were really how they were shown in the media." So on August 8, Kasana set out to make a statement against this stereotyping. She advertised heavily on social media, inviting people to contribute to her project by taking a picture of themselves holding a piece of paper with the Pakistan flag on it and a message declaring: "I am a Pakistani and I refuse to be stereotyped." Read More
Pakistani student proves research, wins $250k scholarship
Shadab Rasool Abro, a student of matriculation and a resident of Khairpur, was given an award as well as a scholarship worth 250,000 dollars by the US State University of New York for presenting his research in the field of Bio Chemical. The student of Pak-Turk School, talking to Geo New said he had conducted a modern research in the field of Bio Chemical and also worked on a project with an amazing result. On an invitation from the US State University of New York, Shadab Rasool Abro visited the varsity and performed a successful experiment on the basis of his research. This won him an award and a scholarship worth 250,000 dollars in the US. http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=63379
Program providing protection for young immigrants launched Hundreds of thousands of people who entered the United States as children but without documentation can apply -- beginning Wednesday -- to remain in and work in the country without fear of deportation for at least two years. "I've found the form!" screamed Maria, a young Chilean at a Latino community center in New York, as she leaped from her seat. She was with a number of other undocumented immigrants meeting here to get legal advice in anticipation of the release of the form, which authorities surprisingly posted a day before they had said they would. The form, titled "Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals," was dated August 15, 2012 and bore the expiration date of February 28, 2013. Read More New Resources to Make the Financial Aid Process Easier Vandna Wendy Bhagat, the Director of Awareness and Outreach for the Office of Federal Student Aid at the U.S. Department of Education, announced the launch of the new StudentAid.gov. StudentAid.gov is a new website that provides straightforward and easy-to-understand information about planning and paying for college. The site combines content and interactive tools from several ED websites. The new website is optimized for tablets and smartphones. Read more about the new financial aid tools here. More Muslim Women Athletes Compete in the 2012 Olympic Games
Muslim women athletes who exhibited their power at the London Olympics. It also commends the Muslim women medalists who won 9 medals in total - 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze. More Muslim women competed in the London Games compared to previous years. Muslim women from Brunei, Qatar, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia competed for the first time in history. The participation of these women speaks volumes about the changing social dynamics within Muslim-majority countries. Some notable athletes are Aliya Mustafina (Age 17 - Russian Federation - Gymnastics) Won gold in the uneven bars, silver in the women's team final, and a bronze in both the floor exercise and the individual all-around final. Mustafina left the Games as the most decorated Russian gymnast. Asli Cakir Alptekin (Age 26 - Turkey - Track & Field)Captured gold in the women's 1500 meters Maiya Maneza (Age 26 - Kazakhstan - Weightlifting) Took gold in the women's 63kg competition. Zulfiya Chinshanlo (Age 19 - Kazakhstan - Weightlifting) Won gold in the women's 53kg competition Habiba Ghribi (Age 28 - Tunisia - Track & Field) Won silver in the women's 3000 meter steeplechase. Mavzuna Chorieva (Age 19 - Tajikistan - Boxing) Won bronze in women's boxing, a sport that debuted this summer. She was the only medalist from Tajikistan
USPAK News State Department encourages Global Diaspora participation On July 25-26, 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton convened the second-annual Global Diaspora Forum at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. This gathering underscored the importance of partnering with Diaspora communities on development and diplomacy initiatives and encouraged participants to connect with one another, build global networks, and discuss opportunities for giving back to their countries of origin.  "By tapping into the experiences, the energy, the expertise of Diaspora communities, we can reverse the so-called 'brain drain' that slows progress in so many countries around the world, and instead offer the benefits of 'brain gain.'" - Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton, July 25th, 2012 Diaspora leaders from around the globe joined the gathering representing a diverse group of stakeholders: 23 percent came from Diaspora organizations, 39 percent from non-profits, 18 percent from private sector, and 11 percent from government. Of the more than 450 participants that attended the event, approximately 26 percent represented countries in Africa, 19 percent from Europe, 13 percent from Asia, 12 percent from Latin America, 11 percent from the Caribbean, and 11 percent from the Middle East. In addition, over 655 participants joined the convening online, representing groups from the United States, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Canada, Egypt, China, Philippines, Nigeria, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia, among others. USPAK was represented by Irfan Malik and Qaisar Shareef at the forum. The Forum kicked-off with an overview of accomplishments of the International Diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA), a partnership platform launched by the Secretary of State in 2011. Today, IdEA has over 1500 Diaspora community partners and has launched three regional entrepreneurship competitions including the second African Diaspora Marketplace, the Caribbean Idea Marketplace, and the Latin American Idea (La Idea) competition. Building on these successes, the Secretary announced new commitments around this partnership. You can listen to podcasts, and watch videos of selected speakers and panels recorded at the Forum. Additionally, you can read 2012 Global Diaspora Forum Conference Report to capture some of the key themes, announcements and recommendations going forward.
USPAK participated in Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention 2012 Summit US Department of Education organized a Bullying prevention summit in Washington DC on Aug 7th & 8th 2012. At the summit various speakers presented different methods to stop bullying and shared their experiences about effective means to tackle bullying. USPAK was represented by Irfan Malik and Anum Malik at the summit. The Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources Services Administration announced the launch of comprehensive Bullying Prevention Training Modules to empower individuals and organizations to address bullying in schools, neighborhoods and communities across the country. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius highlighted the new Training Modules in her remarks at the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention 2012 Summit where she said Check out the "Stop Bullying Video Challenge" at this link. This exciting challenge is open to U.S. middle and high school students aged 13-18 with $3000 in prize money. The goal of the challenge is to create videos that show kids how to be more than bystander and help kids that are involved in bullying. The challenge is open now and until October 10, 2012. Community members interested in learning more and organizing their own bullying prevention and response efforts can access and download the Training Modules at www.StopBullying.gov . USPAK hopes that you will harness the power of these tools to reach your community.
USPAK takes stand against hate crimes
USPAK has partnered with other organizations to stand against hate crimes in wake of senseless acts of violence perpetrated on August 5, 2012, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin aimed at the Sikh Americans at their place of worship. While we don't want to rush to judgment, it is important to note that this is only one of a growing number of incidents of violence and hate that American Sikhs, South Asians, Arabs and Muslims have experienced in the past few years. We do know that far too many Americans have misguided prejudices about the Sikh community – just as they do of the American Muslim community, whose law-abiding and loyal citizens often suffer these same "crimes of ignorance". A crime like this should be condemned, regardless of what ethnic or religious group is targeted. This shooting would be no less or more reprehensible if it was directed against Americans attending a mosque, synagogue, or church. This type of attack is not an attack on one community; it's an attack on us all. As we struggle with what happened and support victims and their families, we know Americans of all faiths are as outraged as we are, and urge leaders to take steps to do more to prevent these deadly crimes, promote tolerance and protect the rights of all people. We are grateful for the bravery and quick action of the police officers that responded and prevented this incident from becoming an even bigger tragedy. Our prayers continue to be with the victims and the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic act. Attorney General Eric Holder at the funeral services spoke about the Obama Administration's commitment in the coming days: "Today, I wish that I could give each of you – as well as every member of our nation's Sikh community; and every other member of our American family – the peace that you seek. I can't do that. Protecting the safety and civil rights of every person in this country – in our schools and neighborhoods, in our workplaces and houses of worship – must, and will, remain a top priority for me and for all those who serve the American family." USPAK members attended various vigils in different parts of the country held for the victims, Irfan Malik and Anum Malik attended vigil at White House, Dr. saud Anwar spoke at the vigil in Connecticut, and Qaisar Shareef attended vigil in Michigan. USPAK also partnered in writing a solidarity letter "We are all Sikhs" as support and respect for victims and Sikh community. Job Opportunities DOJ / Civil Rights Division Job Announcements
Following jobs are available at Department of Justice. For more job announcements visit http://www.justice.gov/crt/employment Individuals interested in applying for these positions should comply with the application procedures and closing dates in the vacancy announcement. The Division does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications (i.e., those not submitted in response to a particular vacancy announcement). If you need more information about a specific Civil Rights Division vacancy, please call the Human Resources Office, Team 1 on (202) 514-3934.
Spring Internships at White House USPAK encourages young leaders to apply for a White House Internship. This is once in a lifetime opportunity to strengthen your resume. The application for the Spring 2013 program is now open. White House Interns dedicate their time, talents, energy, and service to better the White House, the community, and the nation. They become a part of the White House team, and the assignments given to an intern on any given day could include conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, writing memos, and staffing events. They also participate in a weekly speaker series with senior staff members and small group meetings exploring different policy aspects of the Executive Office of the President through speakers, discussion, off-site field trips, and service projects. Please visit www.whitehouse.gov/internships for more information about the program, the application process, a timeline with deadlines, and the departments that participate in the program. A complete application includes: short answers, two essay questions, a one-page resume, and two letters of recommendation. The deadline to apply for the spring program is September 23. State Department Openings State Department is looking for following Foreign Service Information Management Technical Specialist positions. All potential applicants are strongly urged to read the entire Vacancy Announcement to ensure that they meet all of the requirements for this position before applying.
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens and at least 20 years old to apply. For more details visit careers.state.gov website. Additional Listings For additional Job and Internship listings, visit DC Linktank job portal at http://www.jobwonk.com/a/jbb/find-jobs
Viewpoint Pakistan's Unfinished Challenges - Shuja Nawaz As it completes its 65th year as an independent state, Pakistan faces a host of challenges that only it can resolve, if its people and leaders have the will to do so. It is no longer the split country that came into being in August 1947. Yet it occupies a strategic location that appears to be determining its destiny. It has been drawn into external conflicts on its western border at least twice, first in the 1980s and then in 2001. And it has fought at least three major wars with India. Although that relationship appears to be thawing, it remains vulnerable to the actions of non-state actors residing in Pakistan whom the state is unable or unwilling to control. Read More Who gets to be a Muslim in Pakistan? – Murtaza Haider If Muhammad Ali Jinnah were alive today only half of Pakistan would consider him a Muslim. The ethnic, sectarian, and tribal fault lines have reached such depths that the nation once founded to be the homeland of Muslims is now bickering over who gets to be called a Muslim. The latest poll by the US-based Pew Research Center has exposed the depth of sectarian fault lines where only one in every two Sunni Muslims in Pakistan accepts Shias as Muslims. While many believed that such extreme sectarian views were held only by the fanatics lying at the margin, the Pew Center's findings reveal that such intolerant and extremist views are in fact mainstream in Pakistan. Even Jinnah, a Shia Muslim and the founder of Pakistan, today would not have escaped the sectarian extremism in Pakistan. Read More Resources Upcoming Seminars at Think Tanks To get information about future seminars and events relating to US-Pakistan relations, please visit the following websites Atlantic Council Brookings Institution Council on Foreign Relations Heritage Foundation Middle East Institute SAIS Woodrow Wilson Center USIP | 
