NEW YORK – Amid vociferous slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad”, a section of abusy avenue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, which last Decemberwas renamed after Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was formallyinaugurated at a largely-attended ceremony on Friday.
The decision to re-name the Coney Island Avenue, where the Pakistanicommunity is concentrated, was taken on Dec. 26 — Quaid’s birthday — whenthe New York City Council adopted a resolution to honour the founder ofPakistan. The move was the result years of hard work and lobbying effort bythe Pakistani community, especially the Pakistani-American YouthOrganization (PAYO).
As Jumaane Williams, a city council member from Brooklyn who successfullypiloted the resolution, unveiled, with the help of a string, the road sign”Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way” atop a pole, multi-coloured confetti was shot upin celebration, while Pakistani-Americans, carrying Pakistan’s flags, burstinto cheers and chanted slogans. Pakistani Consul-General in New York,Naeem Iqbal Cheema, was a special guest at the event.
PAYO President Waqil Ahmad profusely thanked Williams and other citycouncil members for their efforts in realizing their dream of having”Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way” in the area around the Coney Island Avenue, knownas “little Pakistan.”
“It is a gift to the Pakistani-American community here as well as to thepeople of Pakistan,” he added. Williams, the city council member, said itwas an honour for him to serve the Pakistani community and to inauguratethe renamed avenue. He said he was aware of the suffering the membersPakistani community had to endure following the 9/11 attacks.
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But through resilience, the Pakistani community has now reached a pointthat the New York City Council bestowed a special honour on the father oftheir nation. Consul General Cheema said that today’s ceremony reflectedthe close relations and friendship between the Pakistani community and theNew York City Council.
He paid tributes to the Pakistani community, specially PAYO, for their hardwork and for raising Pakistan’s prestige in the United States. Cheema saidthe Council’s decision to honour the Quaid was a recognition of the greatstatesman, an outstanding lawyer and a revered political leader whose epicstruggle 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 inAmerican politics in order to raise their profile.
