Perseverance — Page 184
184 – the story of al-haj Rashid ahmad american MEETING WITH BHUTTO When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, came to the United States in 1975, the Third Khal ī fah rta asked me to meet him on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam. I was in Milwaukee at the time. In compliance with my order I called the Pakistani embassy in Washington DC. Although I had a good relationship with the First Secretary of the Ambassador, I was unable to get through to him. I spoke with an individual whose title was the Third Secretary and I requested an audience with Bhutto. The Third Secretary asked me who I was and I responded, “Rashid Ahmad. ” He said, “What is that supposed to mean? How can you just call here and expect to meet with the Prime Minister? You cannot make arrangements to meet him. ” I replied, “If you don’t make an arrangement for me, I’ll make it myself. ” At this the Third Secretary hung up the phone. This phone conversation we had was tape recorded and sent to the FBI by the embassy. The FBI in Washington DC contacted the FBI in Milwaukee to investigate me and my intentions. The Milwaukee FBI came to my home to interview me but my wife had informed them that I had already left for Washington DC. They informed the Washington DC FBI that I was en route to Washington DC. In Washington DC, the FBI came to our mosque within five to ten minutes of the time I arrived. They showed their IDs and asked me to stand against the wall and began to take pictures of me. Then they interrogated me regarding my intention for coming to