WASHINGTON: The US Congressmen are waiting for flood-affected Pakistan’s post-disaster needs assessment in order to design an assistance package for inclusion in the Congressional stopgap funding bill that is expected to be approved by mid-December, the head of a top Pakistan-American political group has said.
American-Pakistan Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) Chairman Dr. Ijaz Ahmad, along with some of his colleagues, called on key US lawmakers at Capitol Hill earlier this week and discussed the relevant matters. He told journalists that they had requested a $600 immediate support package to assist with relief and rehabilitation activities when the flood-hit people are facing the harsh winter season.
He said that the Committee was working with both Republican and Democratic members of Congress.
The Committee has also hired a lobbying firm, Hogan, to rally support for the American assistance package with lawmakers of both the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress.
Meetings With US Lawmakers
Dr. Ijaz and members of the Committee met with the Chairperson of the Senate body on Foreign Relations and a member of the Finance Committee Senator Bob Menendez, and the Budget Committee’s Ranking member Senator Lindsay Graham.
He said that both senators expressed support for the move to aid the flood-relief activities for Pakistan.
Moreover, the Committee members also held a meeting with Corey Booker, a senator from New Jersey, who vowed to work with the Biden administration to support the Congressional move.
The Committee also called on Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Talib to seek her support.
Committee Approaches President Biden
Additionally, they had also met with President Joe Biden in New York in September during the United Nations General Assembly session. They requested his attention to the need of supporting Pakistan’s big challenge to tackle huge climate-induced flash floods.
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Dr. Ijaz appealed to the Pakistani-American community to approach the elected US Congressmen in their areas to secure their support for the proposed initiative. According to Congressional sources, the aid request from Pakistan must come by the end of next week, as in January the House of Representatives would come under the majority of the Republicans and then the priorities might change.
