Whereas the people of Pakistani origin have attained a significant presence in the United States of America; and

Whereas numerous community groups and organizations representing Pakistani Americans have achieved notable success in furthering the community?s interests and aspirations in this land; and

Whereas a strong need is being felt by a large segment of this community to further consolidate, coordinate and augment such activities; now therefore, in order

To function at the national level to promote and protect social, economic, educational, cultural, and ethnic interests of people of Pakistani origin residing in the United Sates, and

To promote and foster the development of local and regional Pakistani organizations, to provide assistance and guidance for this purpose, and to represent such organizations,

The Pakistani American Congress is hereby established as a national umbrella organization of the Pakistani Americans and their social and cultural organizations in the United States.

ARTICLE 1 - NAME AND STATUS

1.1 The name of this organization shall be Pakistani American Congress, hereinafter referred to as the Congress.

1.2 The Congress is formed for cultural, charitable, educational purposes as well as for safeguarding the human rights and civil liberties, including political rights, of the Pakistani Americans in the United States.

ARTICLE 2 - OBJECTIVES

2.1 To articulate and represent the interests of Pakistani Americans in the United States.

2.2 To preserve and foster Pakistani culture and heritage.

2.3 To promote, coordinate and conduct various activities and programs for the advancement of interests of Pakistani Americans.

2.4 To build a communications network among Pakistani Americans and their organizations nationwide, to coordinate their activities and to function as an information clearing-house.

2.5 To develop a think-tank of talent and expertise in order to help in the overall development effort of Pakistan and the Pakistani American community.

2.6 To foster friendship, understanding and cooperation between Pakistanis and the American community at large and to promote and enhance the Pakistani image.

2.7 To organize conventions and conferences in order to further the above objectives.

2.8 To solicit, raise, receive, manage and disburse funds to carry out the above objectives either directly or in cooperation with other organizations.

ARTICLE 3 - MEMBERSHIPS

3.1 The membership shall be divided into two categories:

a. Organizational Members

b. Individual Members

3.2 The two classes of membership are defined as follows:

3.2.1 Organizational members. Only the organizations of Pakistani Americans, which satisfy the following conditions, shall be eligible to become regular members.

a) It must be established and located in the U.S.A.

b) It must have adopted and should be functioning under a constitution and/or bylaws.

c) It must not be affiliated with any political party. Once accepted each organization may send up to three representatives to the congress

3.2.2 Individual members. Certain committed individuals who may not belong to any local organization, but have demonstrated their commitment to the Congress, by spending their time, energy and financial resources to sustain the activities of the Congress may be included in the Board of PAC. Consequently, the Board of Directors should always contain up to 15% of such individual members, who should be recommended by the President for membership and approved by the Board of Directors to be validly considered as the directors. No state will have more than two individual members.

ARTICLE 4 - ADMISSION AND REVOCATION OF MEMBERSHIP

4.1 An organization seeking membership of the Congress shall submit an application to the president.

4.2 The application for membership shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee and submitted to the Board of Directors for action.

4.3 Upon approval by the Board of Directors, the applicant will be asked to deposit membership dues, if any, with the Congress.

4.4 The newly accepted member shall communicate to the President the names, addresses and telephone numbers of its representatives who shall serve on the Board of Directors.

4.5 Membership of an organization or individual can be suspended or revoked if it has been proven to be in violation of the Constitution by a vote of two-third majority of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 5 - ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES

5.1 Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be elected by the Board of Directors for a two year term giving due consideration to fair regional representation. The Executive Committee shall comprise of:

a) President

b) Senior Vice President

c) Three Vice Presidents

d) General Secretary

e) Treasurer

5.2 The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and Spokesperson of the Congress. S/he shall have all powers and duties usually vested in the office of the President and shall see that the decisions and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried out. The President shall be an ex-officio member of the Advisory Council and all committees of the Congress.

5.3 The Senior Vice President shall perform duties as assigned by the Board of Directors and the President. S/he shall assume the duties of the President in case of his/her absence or inability to perform duties.

5.4 The three Vice Presidents shall perform their duties for the category they are elected, as well as any other duties that are assigned by the Board of Directors and President.

5.5 The General Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee and record all votes. S/he shall record or supervise the recording of the minutes of all meetings in a book to be kept for that purpose. S/he shall present a the draft of the minutes of the meeting to the President within a period of two weeks of any meeting in order for the president to make meaningful input. In case, the Secretary fails to fulfill this obligation the President is called upon to write the minutes for circulation. If the Secretary fails to write minutes within two weeks then the president will assume that duty. The General Secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. The secretary shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or the President.

5.6 The Treasurer shall manage all funds of the Congress and see that complete and accurate records of the receipts and disbursements are maintained; that all funds and assets of the Congress are deposited in such depositories as are designed by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall render an accurate account of the financial status of the Congress to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

5.7 Other Officers: The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents, as it shall deem necessary. They shall hold their offices for such terms and perform such duties as determined by the Board of Directors.

5.8 No elected officer shall receive any salary, fee or stipend from the Congress by virtue of such position.

5.9 Terms of Office: The Executive Committee members shall hold their offices for a term of two years.

5.10 The Executive Director who may be a salaried employee shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee and of the Board of Directors.

5.11 The President and the Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint as many Committees and task forces as needed. Such Committees can be enlarged if needed. If a member is absent s/he may be replaced, for that particular meeting, by another member.

ARTICLE 6 - REMOVAL OF OFFICERS AND DELEGATES:

6.1 Any elected officer, director, or delegates may be removed by the Board of Directors for gross misconduct, neglect of duties, actions against the objectives and interests of the Congress, or failure to attend, without sufficient reason, three consecutive meetings of the body which s/he is an officer.

6.2 Such action for removal shall be taken by a two-third majority of the Board of Directors in a duly convened meeting in which the officer shall be given a due hearing. The notice for such a meeting shall include the pertinent agenda item and shall be given at least 21 days before the meeting.

6.3 In the event the office of the President becomes vacant, the Senior Vice President shall complete the remainder of the term of the President.

6.4 The Board of Directors shall fill all other vacancies.

ARTICLE 7 - ELECTION PROCEDURES

7.1 The advisory Council shall appoint a three-member Election Committee who are not candidates for any elected position in the Congress. These members shall elect a chairperson from among themselves. The election committee shall be responsible to conduct all the elections through ballot within thirty days before the annual meeting of PAC in June.

7.2 The Election Committee shall invite nominations for the positions for which elections are to be held at the national level at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting in June.

7.3 Nominations in the prescribed form duly signed by the accredited official of the nominating organization, and accepted by the nominee, must be filed at least thirty days prior to the dead line.

7.4 Each organization will have one vote each. (If an organization has three delegates, two out of three will constitute one vote). Duly electedindividuals will have one vote each.

ARTICLE 8 - ADVISORY COUNCIL

8.1 The Board of Directors shall appoint an Advisory council, consisting of a maximum of 21 members. The President, the Senior Vice President and the immediate Past President shall be ex-officio members of the Advisory Council. No other member of the Board of Directors may be a voting member of the Advisory Council. An effort shall be made to include in the Advisory Council individuals of exceptional merit who can make positive contributions to the objectives of the Congress.

8.2 The Advisory Council shall help the board of Directors in fund-raising and all other planning and development efforts.

8.3 The Advisory Council shall act as an advisory committee to the Board of Directors and to the Executive Committee.

8.4 The Chairperson of the advisory council must be a sitting member of the Advisory Council, who shall be nominated by the President of the Board and approved by the advisory council for the term of one year. The chairperson shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors.

8.5 The term of membership of the Advisory Council shall be three years and each year the Board of Directors may appoint additional members.

ARTICLE 9 - MEETINGS

9.1 The Board of Directors shall hold regular meetings at least twice a year in order to conduct the following business:

a. Review activities of the last meeting

b. Assess the financial status.

c. Consider any policies and future plans, and

d. Transact any other business allowed by the Presiding Officer.

9.2 The Advisory Council shall hold regular meetings at least twice a year. These meetings may coincide with other central bodies of the Congress.

9.3 Action or Decision Without a Meeting: Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board or the Advisory Council or any committee may be taken without a meeting if all members consent thereto in writing, and the written consent is filed with the minutes of the proceedings.

9.4 Notice of the Meeting:

9.4.1 For a meeting of the Board of Directors and of the Advisory Council, a notice of 15 days shall be required but for the Executive Committee a minimum of one week?s notice will be sufficient.

9.4.2 Waiver of notice: Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of this Constitution or any other statue, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time started therein, shall be equivalent to the giving of such notice.

9.5 Quorum:

9.5.1 In case of the Board of Directors, one fourth of the membership shall constitute the quorum.

9.5.2 In case of the Executive Committee, a simple majority of the members shall constitute the quorum.

9.5.3 In case of the Advisory Council, one third of the members shall constitute the quorum.

9.6 Electronic Communications:

9.6.1 Members of the Executive Committee may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or similar communication equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person as such a meeting.

ARTICLE 10 - AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

This Constitution may be amended by the Board of Directors at any of its meetings by a two third majority of the members present provided that a written notice of the proposed amendment has been mailed to all members no less than thirty days prior to such a meeting.

ARTICLE 11 - DISSOLUTION OF PAKISTANI AMERICAN CONGRESS

In the event of dissolution of the Congress, the Pakistani American Congress shall, with the approval of the three-fourth majority of the Board of Directors and after paying or providing for payment of all liabilities and debts, dispose off all the assets in accordance with the provisions of the applicable law.