Embassy Interns Meet with Congressmen Conyers’ Staff and Tour Capitol

Interns from the Embassy of Pakistan visited the office of Congressmen Conyers (D-MI). Congressman Conyers is the Ranking Member on the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the newly established Congressional Pakistan Caucus. The interns met with Legislative Assistant Joel Segal and discussed a number of issues relating to the Pakistani-American community and Pakistan-U.S. relations. Mr. Segal expressed keen interest in the issues raised by the young Pakistani-Americans.

The interns’ prime concern was the difficulty faced by young Pakistanis in obtaining U.S. visas to attend schools in the U.S. The interns related their personal experiences to Mr. Segal and he was deeply concerned by the issue. He admitted that this was an important issue that Pakistani-Americans should raise with their representatives in Congress, as there is not enough awareness of issues affecting Pakistani-Americans on Capitol Hill. He was impressed by the interns and said that they were very “sharp” and “warm people” who could make a big difference by entering politics.

Segal emphasized the importance of grassroots activism. He encouraged the youth to organize themselves in order to move their issues in Congress. He praised PAL-C and its efforts to unite the Pakistani-American community. He stressed that Pakistani-Americans must find strength in numbers in order to have their voice heard.

Following the meeting, Pakistani-American Congressional Staffer Arif Haque led a tour of Capitol Hill. The interns visited the original Senate Chamber and Supreme Court, and learned about the significance of the paintings and sculptures in the Rotunda.

July 30, 2004