Mowahid Urges American
Muslims to be Coherent Force
Washington, DC:
- Minister/Special Assistant to Chief Minister
Punjab, Mowahid Hussain Shah Monday said for
American Muslims to be taken seriously, they
have to become a politically coherent force.
Addressing the
members of the National Association of Pakistani-Americans
(NAPA) at Maryland, he said that the post-9/11
world underscores the necessity “to build
alliances” and “learn from other
communities” that have experienced bigotry,
ignorance, and stereotyped prejudice.
“The pursuit
of affluence is insufficient; what matters is
influence,” he said, and in that sense,
the true pillar of the community is the average
Pakistani. The current scenario has demonstrated
that Pakistan shall remain a vital strategic
force in the global arena.”
“American
Muslims,” Mowahid Shah added, “need
to build confidence to surmount the challenges
ahead.”
That confidence,
he underlined “can only develop through
a combination of will and vision and also through
homework and teamwork.”
Mowahid emphasized
the compelling need to enhance dialogue, build
bridges, and break stereotypes.
The well-attended
event included prominent Maryland politicians,
including US Congressman Albert Wynn from Maryland,
as well as a cross-section of the Pakistani-American
community.
Addressing Congressman
Wynn, who is a black American, Mowahid said
that long before black American icons like Malcolm
X and Muhammad Ali were accepted in mainstream
America. They were much-admired figures in Pakistan.
During his Washington
visit, Mowahid received and met former Prime
Minister Chaudhry Shujat Hussain.
Among others,
he addressed the Washington Policy Institute,
the Academy of Punjab in North America (APNA),
and the Diplomatic Corps of the Embassy of Pakistan
and its young interns. In these forums, Mowahid
discussed the current challenges facing Pakistan,
the progress made in response, and the role
of the Punjab Government in giving relief to
the common citizen and in focusing on socio-economic
development, by giving top priority to education.
Mr Mowahid Shah
is a regular columnist of Pakistan Link.
