LAHORE -: The visiting US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said that meetingvictims of Indian ceasefire violations and “seeing them suffer” had made itall the more necessary than before to raise Kashmir issue at the Congress.
“Having met the Kashmiri people in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), who nursethe bullet wounds, due to ceasefire violations by India, was an incredibleexperience and this first hand experience has put me under an obligation tostand for human rights and human dignity”, she said when asked about herbold stance on Kashmir and Palestine by the APP here at a local hotel.
During her four-day visit on the invitation of the Pakistan government, theUS Congresswoman visited the Line of Control (LoC) in AJK, met President,Prime Minister, cabinet members and leaders of political parties. She alsovisited the Walled City of Lahore.
Omar said she had always taken up the questions of Kashmir and Palestine inthe Congress but “I had not had the opportunity to visit the place inperson. It was incredibly awful to meet the people first hand and ask themhow they want to be in partnership with me as a lawmaker and advocate of(the) human rights.”
When asked if she would raise the issue at the Congress, she said havingmet the people in person and seeing them suffer made the necessity ofraising the issue at the Congress more urgent than listening to it from theothers. About herself, Omar said her story was of “trial and triumph”.
“I was born in Somalia but had to flee the country due to civil war andlived for four years in generous Kenya before me and my family weresponsored to come to the United States of America (USA).
Here I was able to continue my studies and live in a community ofwarm-hearted people, although Minnesota is very cold, for the past 20years. I represent people of my community in the US Congress.”
“I am someone who has experienced oppression and violation of human rightsat a young age, and since I have been put into a position of power bypeople, I deem it my duty to advocate for those who don’t have that power.”
Ilhan Omar said living with the people disenfranchised and facing economicchallenges, those who had not had full opportunity to educationalopportunities, and those who were dealing with Islamophobia and racialdiscrimination, had prepared her to fight for the cause of the weak and theexploited, she affirmed.
The US Congresswoman said the Pakistani diaspora provided a strong bondbetween Pakistan and the United States, and noted that those relations hadbolstered over the past 75 years.
She said the Americans had benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit of thePakistanis, their innovation, and focus on advancing technology andhealthcare.
For many Americans, she said, their first interaction with Pakistanis waswhen they met them as their physicians and surgeons. The people-to-peoplecontacts cemented equal and mutually beneficial diplomatic relations, sheadded.
The US Congresswoman recalling the experience of her first visit toPakistan, said, “I have been humbled by the generosity of the politicalleaders in Pakistan, who put their differences aside and welcomed me withopen arms during my visit to the Federal Capital.”
She dismissed the negative stories that the (foreign) people might haveheard about Pakistan and said they would be pleasantly shocked to know howsmooth and joyful her trip had been.
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“I enjoyed every bit of my stay,” Omar said when asked about herimpressions of the visit to Pakistan.
She said she was fascinated to find a church, a Sikh temple, and a Hindutemple in close proximity to a mosque when she visited the Walled City ofLahore, which was the best exponent of cultural harmony. She pointed outthat visiting Pakistan would help the (foreign) people get over theirmisgivings about the country.
Omar thanked the Pakistani government and the people for the warmth,generosity and hospitality, saying she had been treated as a family duringher maiden short visit to the country.
About her visit to Lahore, Ilhan Omar fondly said,” I have seen Lahore inmovies from the age of five but it has been an incredible experience tovisit Lahore in person and see the Punjabi culture.” It was like thefulfillment of a wish list.
“Once I share my experiences on social media, all those who come across myexperiences will love to buy a ticket and fly to Lahore,” she added.
On climate change, the US Congresswoman said it was a real issue and theUnited States, as a global leader, “thinks it important to make investmentsin the global community to ward off the challenges of climate change. Therehave to be investments in renewable energy to ensure our youngergenerations inherit a planet that is livable.”
Omar said she would fight the exploitative use of the water of Punjabrivers by India as she had done in the case of El Salvador, Guatemala andHonduras.
About the Pakistani food, she said she enjoyed the spicy Pakistani food.Her husband, Tim, was also fond of the spicy Pakistani food and hisUS-Pakistani friends provided it in plenty.
In her message to the Pakistani diaspora in the US, she said theirparticipation in the civilsociety and electoral process was vital to make a niche on the politicalscene in the United States.To the Pakistani girls and women, the USCongresswoman said the youth had limitless potential.
The women needed to realize their inner potential to ensure their externalliberation, they needed to believe in their powers, and the society wouldnot change unless they were ready to fight for themselves and the rights ofothers.
She urged the women from the Pakistani minorities to take active part inpolitics to be heard.
