PAkPAC, the Public Affairs Committee of Pakistani Americans, has endorsed former President Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. elections, hoping that new leadership will intervene to secure the release of Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and other party leaders currently incarcerated in Pakistani jails.
Overall, nationwide polls conducted by SSRS show that 47% of likely voters support Vice President Kamala Harris, while an equal 47% support former President Donald Trump. When examining the South Asian diaspora, the opinion is as divided as ever. Lotus for POTUS, a powerful group composed primarily of Indian-Americans, is leaning towards Vice President Kamala Harris, while PakPac, the Public Affairs Committee of Pakistani Americans, has endorsed former President Donald Trump.
In this episode of Unraveled with Marvi Sirmed, PakPac Secretary Dr. Imran Sharief and Raza Ahmed Rumi, a senior journalist and chief editor of New Wave Global and Naya Daur Media, discussed key factors regarding the U.S. elections, including why the South Asian diaspora is so divided in deciding who should occupy the White House.
When asked about the divide within the Pakistani community regarding PakPac's endorsement of Donald Trump, Dr. Imran Sharief explained that choosing a candidate had been a difficult decision. "We had multiple Zoom meetings with both campaigns, discussing a range of issues. We met with both Donald Trump's and Kamala Harris's campaigns, and one of the key issues brought up was the current situation in the Middle East, which is a major concern for Muslims," he said. "Muslims in Michigan and Arab Americans have also endorsed President Trump, so that's significant. In Michigan, the polls are 47% for each candidate, and with this edge, I believe Trump has the upper hand."
Raza Rumi, in response to the question about the polarized nature of American politics, said, "What this election and the polls show is that the political divide in the country is deeper than ever. The popular vote is split right down the middle. Former President Trump has strong support due to the MAGA movement he spearheaded, while other key groups within American society—unions, people of color, and others—are backing the Democrats. Trump has revitalized the Republican Party, which was losing momentum before his rise. This is why he remains the party's nominee: he is seen as their best hope to retake the White House."
Rumi continued, "On the Muslim issue, there is genuine anger at President Biden's policies, particularly his handling of the Gaza conflict and his continued support for Israel. Officially, 41,000 people have died, and the U.S. is still supplying arms to Israel, which has sparked outrage. As a result, many Muslims in Michigan are endorsing Trump. However, there are also Muslims who oppose him for his Islamophobic rhetoric, such as his Muslim ban and his comments about Muslims in general."
He added, "For many Muslims, the contradiction is glaring: How can we support a man who has openly disparaged Muslims, even while he positions himself as a defender of Muslims in Palestine? This is causing division within the Muslim community. Indians are also split. While many support Kamala Harris, a significant number of non-resident Indians (NRIs), especially those loyal to Modi, view Trump and Modi as allies. They see a similarity in their approach to Muslims, which ties into broader concerns about Islamophobia. So, the South Asian community, like the rest of American society, is deeply divided, and that's why this race is so tight. It's going to be a nail-biting election."
In response to the question about Imran Khan supporters leaning towards Trump, Dr. Imran Sharief said, "Many in the Pakistani diaspora are leaning towards Trump, or at least remain undecided. Some are even considering voting for the Green Party, but their votes are unlikely to make a major impact. The Green Party might take some votes away, but it will not drastically alter the outcome."
Regarding the fact that two major publications have refused to endorse any U.S. presidential candidate, Raza Rumi commented, "This has become a major issue in recent days. The owner of The Washington Post has instructed the staff not to endorse Kamala Harris, despite the editors wanting to do so. There's a longstanding tradition in the U.S. where newspapers publicly endorse presidential candidates, although reporters and editors are free to report independently. This time, however, Jeff Bezos and other powerful businessmen seem hesitant to take a public stand. I think one reason is that they are worried about the consequences of angering Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to 'fix' people. The media has been critical of Trump throughout his time in office, and powerful business figures are now trying to protect their interests, just in case Trump wins again."