USA visits during hot summer in Pakistan at the expense of Government money.

Reckless tours ...... Thursday, June 23, 2005

‘Visit America’ summer begins for Pakistanis By Khalid Hasan               www.dailytimes.com.pk WASHINGTON: This is turning out to be a Visit America summer for a whole lot of Pakistanis, from officials to politicians to Mukhtar Mai, provided she can get out, and her supporters. The director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is here as is the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). What the purpose of their visit is cannot be ascertained since they have made no contact with the Pakistani press, nor has the embassy put out any information about them. The federal commerce secretary has been in Washington for the last couple of days but the Pakistani press has not been informed of his arrival or what he has been doing. A report to that effect carried in some newspapers was released from Islamabad. These visitors are obviously undeterred by recent reports of unpleasant encounters at the US embassy in Islamabad experienced by such persons of eminence as Dr Javed Iqbal, former Admiral Fasih Bokhari and former Lt Geneneal Muhammad Yusuf. Mohammedmian Soomro, Chairman of the Senate, is here to preside over one of the sessions of the annual conference of the Pakistani-American Congress which meets here from June 23 to 25. Also in town for the same purpose are Ishaq Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and lawyer and veteran politician SM Zafar. Mukhtar Mai has been invited to attend the annual meeting of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA) in Texas at the end of the month, along with lawyer Abid Hasan Minto and Jamaat leader Liaqat Baloch. Faisal Saleh Hayat is going to be on a marathon 18-day tour of major American cities on behalf of the Kashmir Committee. Tariq Azim Khan, Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis, is due to arrive in the first week of July and visit various cities to acquaint himself with the problems the expatriate community faces. Not to be counted out are Pakistani entertainers who, given the large size of the expatriate community, are able to play to crowded auditoriums. It has, however, been noticed that while Pakistanis go in large numbers to Indian cultural shows, few if any Indians are seen at shows featuring Pakistani entertainers