‘Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way’ Inaugurated in Brooklyn, New York
Amid vociferous slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad”, a section of a busy avenue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, which last December was renamed after Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was formally inaugurated at a largely-attended ceremony on Friday.
The decision to re-name the Coney Island Avenue, where the Pakistani community is concentrated, was taken on Dec. 26 when the New York City Council adopted a resolution to honor the founder of Pakistan. The move was the result of years of hard work and lobbying by the Pakistani community, especially the Pakistani-American Youth Organization (PAYO).
As Jumaane Williams, a city council member from Brooklyn who successfully piloted the resolution, unveiled the road sign “Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way” atop a pole, multi-colored confetti was shot up in celebration while Pakistani-Americans carrying Pakistan’s flags, burst into cheers and chanted slogans. Pakistani Consul-General in New York, Naeem Iqbal Cheema, was the special guest at the event.
PAYO President Waqil Ahmad profusely thanked Williams and other city council members for their efforts in realizing their dream of having “Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way” in the area around the Coney Island Avenue, known as “Little Pakistan.”
“It is a gift to the Pakistani-American community here as well as to the people of Pakistan,” he added.
Williams, the city council member, said it was an honor for him to serve the Pakistani community and to inaugurate the renamed avenue.
He said he was aware of the suffering the members the Pakistani community had to endure following the 9/11 attacks. But through resilience, the community has now reached a point that the New York City Council bestowed a special honor on the father of their nation.
Consul General Cheema said that the ceremony reflected the close relations and friendship between the Pakistani community and the New York City Council. He paid tributes to the Pakistani community, especially PAYO, for their hard work and for raising Pakistan’s prestige in the United States.
Cheema said the Council’s decision to honor the Quaid was a recognition of the great statesman, an outstanding lawyer, and a revered political leader whose epic struggle resulted in the creation of Pakistan.
Dr Ijaz Ahmad, head of America-Pakistan Political Action Committee (APPAC), urged the Pakistani community members to take active part in American politics to raise their profile in the country.
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