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WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 24, 2006) - The
United States Congress is currently reviewing the $5 billion
sale of F-16 fighters to the government of Pakistan. The F-16
sale is being presented by the Bush Administration as a just
reward for Pakistan’s ostensible support in the global
war against terror. But given Pakistan’s known role
in harboring Islamic terrorists, providing sensitive nuclear
information to rogue nations and its abysmal human rights
record, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is making clear
its unequivocal opposition to the sale. The recent arrest
of Britons of Pakistani descent, many of whom received training
in terror tactics in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, further alarmed
HAF and others opposing the fighter-jet sale.
“We can fathom no scenario where advanced
fighter jets in the hands of a tenuous Pakistani dictatorship
that has failed to control rampant terror networks within
its borders could benefit the United States,” said Jay
Patel, member of the HAF Executive Council.
The deal would provide the Pakistani military
with 18 new and 26 used aircraft with the option to purchase
18 more aircraft in the future. Despite assurances that the
US government may strip the jets of nuclear armament delivery
capabilities, there is speculation that such precautions may
prove futile if the political environment in Pakistan shifts
unfavorably.
Pakistan is a known haven for extreme Islamic
elements and a center of global terrorism. The Pakistani government
condones the presence of terrorist outfits responsible for
attacks and violence in Kashmir and other parts of India including
the Mumbai bombings last month and through its spy agencies
may be reclaiming its role as the sponsor of the Taliban.
The network of terrorist organizations operating with government
support in Pakistan, including many affiliated with al-Qaeda,
is documented extensively in the second annual human rights
report released by HAF released in June of this year.
The consistent persecution of the Hindu minority
in Pakistan is also highlighted in HAF’s recently released
report, “Hindus in
South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights (2005)”.
Pakistani Hindus have been reduced to less than 1.6% of the
population down from 25% in 1947 and face kidnappings, forced
conversions and loss of places of worship on a daily basis.
“Pakistan’s abysmal human rights
record and neglect to root out jihadi terrorist groups should
be a cause of immense concern when considering the transfer
of sophisticated military technologies,” said Patel.
“Pakistan is a national security liability and our lawmakers
should consider the ramifications of providing an unstable
military dictatorship with the world’s most advanced
jet-fighters.”
The Hindu American Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3), non-partisan organization, promoting the Hindu
and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism.
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