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How the Pakistanis Woo Hillary Clinton

A P Kamath

Many Pakistanis in America are convinced that Bill Clinton turned America's back on their country and openly sided with India during his recent visit to the subcontinent. But they also believe they are having their own sweet revenge.

The First Lady seems to be beholden to the Pakistanis in New York where she is fighting a very expensive Senate race. Each side is spending about $ 10 million.

Though she has attended several fund-raisers by Indian Americans like the one held by Sant Chatwal, owner of the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants, and is bound to attend a few more, she seems to be clearly enjoying the backing of Pakistanis.

Pakistanis, unlike Indians, are late comers to the money-raising scene but they are learning fast.

"If we are raising $ 50,000 for her cause," says an Indian businessman, "the Pakistanis surely want to raise three times the amount."

She has fallen for their goat curries, rice and endearment, many people believe.

Many Indian American community leaders admit that their community failed to take the initiative and organize a number of big fund-raisers for Hillary Clinton.

"We were too busy wooing Clinton and demanding that he should not go to Pakistan," the Indian businessman continued. "But our opponents quietly networked with the President's wife."

Some political observers believe that Hillary thinks Indians in New York state will vote for a Democratic candidate anyway, but she also wants the votes of Pakistanis. There could be about 50,000 votes at stake from Pakistanis and about 100,000 in the Indian community in New York State.

Her Pakistani supporters are also found in the neighboring states of Connecticut and New Jersey.

Former White House counsel Lanny Davis, who is now a Washington lobbyist and image builder for Pakistani government, has played an important role in bringing the First Lady and Pakistanis in New York closer. Many Pakistanis and Indians are convinced that a fund-raiser held for Hillary in New York by the Pakistanis a few days before her husband decided to have a whistle-stop visit to Pakistan, owes a lot to Davis.

It raised about $ 50,000, with a promise of bigger fund-raisers to come.

Pakistani businessmen and doctors, not to forget many cab drivers, also worked hard to make an impression on Hillary.

"We are going to help her in any way she wants help," says Mohammad Siddiqui, a livery taxi driver. "On the day of voting, we will help the older people, free of charge, to go to the polling booth." New York's immigrant cab drivers include about 10,000 from Pakistan. They dislike Hillary's opponent, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, because he has increased the fines on erring taxi drivers.

Wood vendors in Manhattan, many of them Pakistanis, also dislike Giuliani because he has forbidden them to operate on some of the key avenues in Manhattan -- in the name of creating a cleaner city.

"We also volunteer in her campaign," the cab driver says, adding that it is wrong to say that only rich Pakistani doctors and businessmen are backing Hillary.

"She understands us, she knows what is happening in Kashmir -- and being a lady, she feels our pain. She is very loyal to us."

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It wasn't just the halal goat curry

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