First Pakistan Global’s Anti-Pakistan Event Fails at Capitol Hill | Low Congress, Community Turnout
By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada
The much-anticipated “Congressional Briefing on Islamabad Massacre” held at Capitol Hill after Trump’s inauguration turned out to be a failure. Out of 535 members of Congress, including 100 senators, only five attended the briefing. The cautious response from these attendees and the event’s limited community participation highlight its lack of impact.
Organized under the banner of “First Pakistan Global,” but allegedly spearheaded by a PTI leader, the event aimed to shed light on alleged atrocities by Pakistan’s military and establishment. However, it failed to meet expectations. According to reports, the event, held on January 22 in Washington, D.C., was marketed as a platform to expose Pakistan’s alleged human rights violations.
Despite these claims, the turnout was disappointing, with only five Congress members attending: Rashida Harbi Tlaib (Michigan), Gregorio Eduardo Casar (Texas), August Pfluger (Texas), James Patrick McGovern (Massachusetts), and Frank Joseph Pallone Jr. (New Jersey).
While the organizers demanded cutting U.S. aid to Pakistan and raised other concerns, none of the attending Congress members openly criticized Pakistan or its institutions. Instead, they cautiously called for the release of political prisoners and adherence to international human rights standards. Only two members mentioned PTI’s founder, while others avoided naming any specific party or individual.
The event was further marred by an incident before its commencement, where several Pakistani-American attendees were removed by police at the organizers’ request. These individuals claimed they wanted to hear Congress members’ views on Pakistan, but the organizers insisted entry was by invitation only. The commotion reportedly discouraged additional Congress members from attending at the last minute.
The organization tweeted that the briefing aimed to expose alleged crimes by Pakistan’s current government and advocate for accountability. However, the event failed to achieve its objectives. Poor management and internal disruptions led to a limited turnout and a lack of substantial support from Congress members.
It has been revealed that the organizing entity was formed by a PTI leader from Houston, attempting to present PTI’s agenda under a different name. Despite these efforts, the strategy backfired, and the event did not garner the desired response or traction.
Clips of speeches and videos from the event are circulating on social media, reflecting the overall failure of this anti-Pakistan briefing at Capitol Hill.
