Acknowledging the exemplary unity, solidarity and conviction exhibited by Pakistani Americans during the recent escalation, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh encouraged them to continue contributing to the social and economic development of Pakistan and also assist towards strengthening bilateral ties with the United States
Amb Rizwan Saeed Sheikh Observes Day of Gratitude with Pakistani Community
By Elaine Pasquini
Photos by Phil Pasquini
Washington, DC: The Embassy of Pakistan observed May 16, 2025, as “Youm-e-Tashakur” (Day of Gratitude) with patriotic zeal and community solidarity.
The special day began with a solemn flag-hoisting ceremony in the embassy courtyard to pay tribute to the armed forces and people of Pakistan.
Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, raised the iconic Pakistani green flag featuring a stylized tilted white crescent moon with a five-pointed star in its center and a vertical white stripe at its hoist-end, designed by Syed Amir-uddin-Kedwali, as the strains of the national anthem, Qaumi Tarana, filled the air with pride.
In the evening, members of the Pakistani diaspora, journalists, business delegates from Pakistan and officers and Embassy officials attended a community gathering in the Chancery.
Ambassador Sheikh briefed guests on the significance and merits surrounding the success achieved by the Pakistani armed forces in “Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos,” following India’s attacks on Pakistan beginning May 7. The unprovoked Indian aggression against Pakistan was a manifestation of “supremacist Hindutva ideology” being practiced as the state policy of India, he said.
Pakistan’s victory not only restored the balance of power in South Asia but also reinforced credible deterrence. “In the face of Indian aggression, Pakistan’s armed forces and 250 million people stood like an impregnable wall,” the ambassador said. Any future aggression against Pakistan will be met with a robust response, he averred. “No power in the world can erase Pakistan.”
Located in one of the world’s most sensitive regions, Pakistan’s history even prior to its independence in 1947 has been complex, and its dynamics continue to manifest in various forms today, he said. Events over the past 78 years have further complicated the situation.
American leadership has consistently played a prominent role in reducing tensions in the region, the ambassador pointed out, and, as a preeminent power, the United States has a significant role in establishing regional and global peace.
Ambassador Sheikh welcomed President Donald J. Trump's announcement to work with Pakistan and India for the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. In addition, he urged the international community to ensure India upholds its commitments to the peaceful settlement of the conflict, with lawful self-determination for Kashmiris as prescribed by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 47. “The international community is well aware that tensions in our region have concerning implications not only regionally but globally,” he said.
Acknowledging the exemplary unity, solidarity and conviction exhibited by Pakistani Americans during the recent escalation, he encouraged them to continue contributing to the social and economic development of Pakistan and also assist towards strengthening bilateral ties with the United States.
“On this day, let us rise above personal, sectarian, political ideologies, and differences to contribute to the development and progress of our homeland,” he concluded.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
