The Indian-American community in the US has launched a White House petition to designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism, days after a bill in this regard was tabled in the US Congress by two powerful lawmakers.
“This petition is important to the people of United States of America, India and many other countries which are continuously affected by Pakistan sponsored terrorism,” the petition started on Tuesday said.
It requires at least 1,00,000 signatures to qualify for a response from the Obama Administration.
An initiative of US President Barack Obama, “We the People”, the online petition service at the White House website provides a window to American citizens to campaign before the administration on a particular issue.
The move comes after Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, along with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, introduced H R 6069, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act in the House of Representatives.
The bill has been sent to House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action.
Simultaneously the US India Political Action Committee on Friday launched a nationwide effort to canvass Indian Americans to get their local legislators’ support to H R 6069.
“It is time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is, a state sponsor of terrorism,” Congressman Ted Poe said after introducing the bill in the US House of Representatives.
“Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the United States for years.
