US Visas for Sindhi Artists and Panelists invited to attend the upcoming SANA Convention

On-line Petition to the US Consulate in Pakistan to grant visas to the Sindhi Artists and Civil Society Leaders invited to attend the upcoming 23rd annual SANA Convention in Orlando, Florida (June 30 - July 2, 2007)

US Visa Section
U.S. Embassy Islamabad
Pakistan

We, the members and friends of the Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) appeal to you to grant USA visitor's visas to Mrs. Deeba Sehar Khoso (and her husband Muhammad Sabir Khoso to accompany her) and Mr. Sadiq Ali, who are well-known Sindhi singers and Mr. Mohammad Ali Shah, chairman of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) to attend the upcoming annual convention of SANA. The annual convention is being held at the Grosvenor Resort in Orlando, Florida from June 29 to July 2, 2007. All the invitees except Mr. Sadiq Ali were interviewed by the US Embassy in Islamabad recently and were unfortunately denied the visa. Mr. Sadiq Ali is still waiting for an interview date.

SANA is incorporated in the state of New York and is registered with the US Federal government as a "Not For Profit" organization (ID # 13-3698207). The association has been in existence for more than 23 years. Each year, we organize an annual convention in a different city of the United States or Canada. The three-day convention program typically consists of several sessions mainly cultural and civil society matters with the purpose of enriching Sindhi-Americans and contributing to the mainstream American society.

The artists that we have invited this year specialize in contemporary singing with Sindhi Sufi rhythms. There are no Sindhi musicians and singers of such high caliber living in the United States. The invited singers are versatile Sindhi singers. They are exponents of traditional as well as modern Sindhi music. They specialize in folk songs and contemporary music. Mr. Sadiq Ali has an unmatched command on the Thari/Rajasthani way of singing. He and Mrs. Deeba Sehar Khoso also sing the songs written by great poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast, Shaikh Ayaz as well as the present day lyricists.

Both the artists have performed at several concerts in Sindh and other parts in Pakistan and abroad. They are popular singers at Radio and TV channels and have a number of albums and cassettes, CDs to their credit. They have received several awards and medals for their extra ordinary contribution to Sindhi music. Mr. Sadiq Ali recently received a prestigious award from a Sindhi cultural and literary organization in India. Their music is available on:

http://www.sindhimusic.com/artistis/sadiq_faqir/sadiq_faqir.htm http://www.geocities.com/zafarwolf/music.html
http://www.sindhimusic.com/artistis/deba_saher/deba_saher.htm

Mr. Mohammad Ali Shah, chairman Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum (PFF) has been invited to deliver a lecture on the problems and issues faced by the fishing communities of the delta area of the Indus River and Arabian Sea coastal areas as well as a possible role of Diaspora in the uplift, education and health of fishermen community in Sindh.

The main objectives of PFF are to create awareness and organize fishing communities for the protection as well as sustainable management of the fisheries and other community livelihoods through advocacy, participatory research, information dissemination and participatory community development processes. More information on the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum can be found at their website: http://www.pff.org.pk/.

We take full responsibility for their travel and living expenses while in the USA and guarantee that they will abide by all US laws and return back to Pakistan at the conclusion of SANA convention.

We would greatly appreciate if you would please grant them visas to enable them to attend the SANA convention and to promote Sindhi Sufi traditions of peace and mutual respect among world communities.