The event was graced by Mr Barry D. Hoffman, the Honorary Consul General of Pakistan in Boston
Boston Celebrates 75 Years of Pakistan
On August 14, 2022, as soon as one entered the beautiful Nara Park in Acton (MA), where the Pakistan Association of Greater Boston (PAGB) had arranged an event to celebrate 75 years of Pakistan, one could see people dressed in green and white shalwar kurta heading towards the event site. There were several signs for directions — the signs too were in green and white. It was a beautiful sunny day that perfectly complemented the festive mood in an outdoor setting, since the white clouds seemed to be in perfect unison with the green grass beneath the feet. The green with the white was the theme of the day.
This is not empty symbolism. For most Pakistanis who live overseas, including those who reside in the Greater Boston area of the United States, events like these carry intense emotions. It does not matter if they are in the US temporarily as students or permanently as citizens; an event like this solidifies their identities. Yes, plural, since they celebrate their Pakistaniat but they do so in a country that celebrates it with them. Such an event allows the Pakistani-American community to express itself in a way that cements its bond with its cultural homeland. And on top of that, this year marked 75 years of the creation of Pakistan—such an historic day had to be celebrated with extra spark. And the PAGB, under the direction of its new Board, did exactly that.
To begin with, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Charles D. Baker, had issued a Proclamation to observe August 14, 2022, to be Pakistan Independence Day. As the Proclamation pointed out, this was done in part to recognize “The contributions that the Pakistani-Americans have made to the cultural, economic and social vitality of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Even a cursory glance at the Pakistani community in the Greater Boston area would bring into limelight the various sectors in which they have made significant contributions. Be it politics or arts and culture, social work, medicine, the health industry, academia, research, or business, as well as several other fields—the Pakistani community has continued to be an integral part of the socio-economic landscape of Massachusetts.
This official recognition of the Pakistan Independence Day made a way for the further recognition of two outstanding individuals who have worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Pakistani-American community in the area. And, as part of that recognition, they were presented with the Key to the City of Worcester from Mayor Joe Petty—a tremendous honor, indeed! The first person who was awarded the key was Malik Masood Khan. The second person awarded the key was PAGB’s newly-elected President, Shehla Gull. Both individuals expressed their gratitude on receiving this honor and recognized the support of their families and the larger Pakistani community of which they are a part.
The event was also graced by Mr Barry D. Hoffman, the Honorary Consul General-Pakistan in Boston. Barry has been working with the Pakistani community in Massachusetts for several decades and his attendance at the event was as much a recognition of his efforts as it was of the Pakistani community that truly accepts him as one of their own. This close working relationship was also one of the main reasons why Barry was invited on the stage, along with members of the PAGB Board, to cut the cake (to celebrate 75 years of Pakistan) and say a few words on the occasion.
Adjacent to the stage was a station where two screens played a documentary titled “Pakistan 75.” Made by the team of two-time President of the PAGB Siraj Khan and Shua K. Arshad, a member and podcaster, the documentary showcased the sentiments of eleven selected people with diverse backgrounds, on Pakistan's 75 th Anniversary of Independence. The documentary was released for public viewing and also posted on YouTube that day.
The event also featured moments of fun and games.
There was music throughout the event. Vocalist and composer Tahir Iftekhar did a splendid job of keeping the audience engaged. There were national songs such as the beloved Dil Dil Pakistan and the classics like Ko Ko Korina, and then the end of the event featured modern cultural pieces like Pasoori to which the feet always find the rhythm! Shua Arshad and Fauzia Sayeed provided able support. Two Board members, Salman Jafari and Meryum Khan, read out English translations of patriotic song lyrics and the crowd had to guess the actual lyrics and sing them, which they were elated to do.
There were stalls that featured cultural attires and jewelry, the popular Punjabi Grill served exquisite food, the queue to which only got longer as the day progressed. The kids’ play area saw the forging of new friendships between those who are rightfully the future of Pakistan and Pakistani culture and heritage. For Pakistanis living abroad, a lot of these events and activities are geared towards the kids, keeping them in touch with their heritage in some way so that they can grow up with it and carry the torch forward in the future.
FUTURE-That is the one word that captures the gist of the event. To celebrate the past 75 years, so that we can continue to make the next 75 years more prosperous for Pakistan, for the Pakistani community, and for the United States where the Pakistani community has found a strong and productive foothold. As the previous Board of the
PAGB successfully led by Siraj Khan exited and the new Board so ably led by Shehla Gull took over the responsibilities, this sentiment about how to shape the future of the PAGB and the Pakistani community of Greater Boston has been at the center of the organization’s discourse. If this event is anything to go by, the future of both looks exceptionally bright.
Pakistan Zindabad!
