A Brief History – Immigration Perspective Dylan Perese Wendy White April, 2012

Major Events  Originally a British colony, partitioned in 1947  Pakistan & India  India and Pakistan fought two wars ( , 1965) over the disputed Kashmir territory  1956 – Republic (military rule) by Maj. Gen. Iskander Mirza  1971: Bangladesh created from East Pakistan  Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan 1979  US & Pakistan on common ground  Pakistan conducts nuclear tests, 1998  Shaky government through the 80s/90s  Benazir Bhutto assassinated in 2007  Current president - Asif Ali Zardari

Relevant Info LLargely Muslim (97 %) CCapital - Islamabad OOfficial language = Urdu PPunjabi also spoken PPopulation = 190,291,129 people PPopulation growth rate = %/yr. MMigration rate = -2 migrants/1,000 people (2012) UUnemployment = 7.7 %

Life in Pakistan Today Comprised of many diverse cultures/ethnic groups Heavily influenced by remnants of Persian Empire Distinct Islamic Identity Adheres to many cultural traditions Close-knit family structure (live together. No running water/electricity typical of lower-middle class family)

City-Life - Vendors

Estimated 30 % live below the Poverty Line

60 % of population lives on less than $ 2.00/day

Cold War Connection  Three Distinct Phases  Cold War Period  Aid in Containment  Geographic Location  In U.S sphere of influence  Crisis Period ( )  Retain nuclear weapon  Proliferation  RRR (repairing, rebuilding, redefining)  In wake of 9/11  (

Important Dates `1947: Independence 1971: Civil War & partitioning 1985: US Passes the Pressler Ammendment to track nuclear threats nuclear program causes tension in international relations 2001: Bush forges new relationship with Pakistan – military base/allied force 2007: Assassination of President Benazir Bhutto 2008: Concerns over curbing terrorism 2011: Osama Bin Laden

Potential Reasons to Leave  Literacy = 50 % as of 2005  Workforce = 42 % agriculture, 38 % service, 20 % industry – limited options  Politically unstable  Kashmir territorial dispute  Terrorism (9/2008 Truck Bomb killed 50)  Internal Strife/Disagreement Kashmir Region

Education/Health are a low priority for the government

Poor Quality of Higher Education  Lack of unity between branches of government

In the News  9/11 – Close ties with Afghanistan's Taliban government  Osama Bin Laden  Territorial Dispute – ongoing, Kashmir region; this territorial dispute led to war in 1949, 1965, 1971, 1999, and remains unresolved today.

Life in America  Immigration Issues  Time to become a citizen  See Interview  Discrimination  Ignorance  9/11 – Stigma  Anti-American Sentiment before coming (from back home)  Disillusioned by Obama & “Afpak”  "Pakistan is a nuclear state. Pakistan is battling Talibans. Pakistan does not want to be put in the same category as Afghanistan” policy/2009/05/crisis-pakistan-minnesota- experts-express-worries-and-warnings

Connection to Minnesota  May 2009 Exodus from NW Pakistan  2 Million Fled  American Refugee Committee steps in  Water/first aid, ties to American Islamic organizations  Goal to keep them away from extremists until climate cools down  Not a major minority group here now  pakistan-minnesota-experts-express-worries-and-warnings pakistan-minnesota-experts-express-worries-and-warnings

Works Consulted       country/country-profile/asia-oceania/pakistan/ country/country-profile/asia-oceania/pakistan/  factbook/geos/pk.html factbook/geos/pk.html   pakist.html pakist.html  minnesota-experts-express-worries-and-warnings