February 14th with the INS

Hmm, I went for fingerprinting during my I485 status. I don`t know why it`s such a big deal? If you haven`t done anything what`s there to be scared off?

I can`t understand why the registration process is considered ``undemocratic``?? After all, green card holders and citizens do not have to register. Only foreigners. What is wrong with that? In India, all foreigners have to report to the FRRO office and Pakistanis and Chinese have to report to the nearest police station within 24 hours of arrival.

The benefits of democracy are meant for citizens of a country, not for foreigners.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Temporal,Nazarhayatkhan,Ras, Ahmadzai:
Thanks for hoo-rah`s you guys....it`s always a bit scary when you post a piece for the first time. Appreciate your words of encouragement!

Indian:
I`ve always referred to Pakistanis/Indians/Bangladeshis as ``desis``....it`s so much simpler sometimes than trying to categorize which type of brown you are. :) Plus, the word ``desi`` is referred to people from your ``desh`` correct? Well I have no qualms about calling Indians or Bangladeshis ppl that...we`re all fruit right? :)

Desicore:
I wouldn`t worry about your sister and her fiancee at all...the Houston INS office is a lot more lax and reasonable from what I`ve heard/seen. Good luck to them!

Jay:
why is it so wrong to feel humiliated by this registration process?? I mean the whole basis of this country is based on democracy and freedom of choices. Having a whole group of ppl (from the same country) monitored and stamped and harassed isn`t exactly what the free world is all about. And i won`t even get into what this does for our Human Rights morale.

Tidbit:
Hey...look the writer`s block finally evaporated! How`s everything going?? Yeah I`m terrified of the cat and she`s terrified of me. It`s apparently very amusing for the guys to watch! Will email you properly
soon. All my love. mwah.

Aahmed60:
you`re such a dork Adil! :)

aahmed60: oh-so-lucky *cheeky grin* *running faster*

The article is very well written and does a great job of describing the environment or atmosphere at the INS centers all around the country esp in Houston. Finally some realistic human condition justice to the situation without the backdrop or world potitics.
Adil you lucky basstard!

Sara, have you noticed that you see two types of men in a Western country---Shalwar-Kurta clad and non-Shalwar-Kurta clad? Why only Paki men of all ethnic groups try their best to make themselves conspicuous by wearing a desi dress at a public place while in a foreign country?

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

heeeeey....finally you make an appearance...its about time! :)....well-written and fluid...write more....

I hear u don`t like `Kit Kat` ;)


love,

samina

p.s. waisay i think V-day is overrated :p....*running like the wind*

And Pakistanis (the fundoos included), like the entire world, had protested the former Talibans on making it mandatory for their minorities to wear the mark of identification in Talibani Afghanistan.

Sara J: This was excellently narrated.

Jay at # 6:

``How about honour killings,..... ``

This seems to be a Pakistani response in kind to India`s dowry deaths.

;)

Thanks for writing this Sara.

You appear to be a caring soul

and your fiancee is a lucky man.

But I am sure he knows that.

Ras

Sara,

Yet another so called humiliation/ missed humiliation of the pakistanis. How quickly these pakistanis have acquired the western values, to be fingerprinted and movements traced is a great humiliation for them.

How about honour killings, have these great pakistanis mentioned anything about it. It is legal, honour killing is legal in pakistan. Did these new humiliation missed pakistanis care to write to the 75 oercent of the democratically elected legislators when the refused to condemn honourkilling.

The pathetic lot, trying to pose themselves as the refined, humiliated by fingerprinting type, trying to be humans with values. Shameful hollow display, only a pakistani can put up.

US, Pak not to set up joint nuke command

AP[ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003 12:04:28 PM ]

KARACHI, Pakistan: There is no plan to set up a joint Pakistan-US command to control the country`s nuclear programme, Pakistan`s foreign minister was quoted as saying in newspapers here on Friday.



“Pakistan’s nuclear programme and its assets are in safe hands and no other country will be included in the atomic command,`` Khursheed Kasuri told reporters on Thursday in Karachi.

////This is the final proof, the yanks have taken the balls of the pakistanis. The bomb developed to protect the sovereignity and independance of pakistan has becaome the reason for it to loose all of its dignity. The pakistanis while being fingerprinted should remeber the reason behind it. If there is another attack on the US from al quida, better you all voluntarily go to the nearest cop shop.

Nicely written. Fear & insecurity bring out strong expression.

It seems a new genre of writing is coming up - INS registration.

And I am getting addicted to it.

Sara,

I`m glad you and your fiance had so little trouble. I hope my own sister and her fiance, also in Houston, he also a non-permanent resident, will have no more trouble than you. Good luck in the future.

Why are all these Pakis are suddenly considering themselves as ``Desis`` or ``ABCDs`` at INS offices. Is it not insulring to Nepalese, Indians, Sri Lankans and to some extent Bangla Deshis? Please wake up to reality. You are suspected in this country.