NEW YORK: In honour of Pakistan’s 76th Independence Day, the green-crescent-and-star was hoisted at Bowling Green in New York City on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Masood Khan told the community that Pakistan is on track to achieving political stability and economic prosperity.
He addressed the cheering crowd, which included Mayor Eric Adams and the senior representatives of his government, including Pakistani-Americans. “Pakistan is a great, resilient nation,” he said.
The American Stars and Stripes were flown, and the British colonial flag was lowered in 1783 at Bowling Green, the oldest park in the city. On the occasion of Pakistan’s 75th anniversary, Mayor Adams raised the Pakistani flag beside the American flag for the first-time last year.
At the ceremony on Wednesday, Ambassador Masood Khan raised the Pakistan flag, and Mayor Adam hoisted the U.S. flag.
Asim Rehman, a Pakistani and the commissioner of New York City’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), presided over the ceremony, which the mayor’s office planned. Rehman is the first South Asian-American and Muslim to serve as OATH’s head. Other top City government representatives of Pakistani descent, Ahsan Chughtai, and Atia Shahnaz, were also present.
Ambassador Masood Khan noted that New York is renowned as the world’s capital as it is home to the United Nations Headquarters and stated, “I’m proud to see that today so many Pakistanis are prominent in the city government.” The Pakistani envoy spoke in the dazzling sunshine after days of rainy, foggy weather, “I see Pakistanis present here — many of you in traditional Pakistani dresses in the colors of the Pakistani flag.”
The Ambassador informed them not to believe allegations that Pakistani Americans have given up on Pakistan’s economy. Don’t lose hope in Pakistan, he said, emphasizing that while the United States is “your homeland,” Pakistan is “your motherland,” and the “strong bond will not be broken.”
He claimed the assertion that the Pakistani-American community had lost faith in the nation’s economy was false, pointing out that $3 billion had been sent to Pakistan by them in the most recent fiscal year, which is the same amount they sent the year before.
Adams thanked the Ambassador; and said that since he became mayor last year, New York had become an open city.
He said, “This is not my city. We don’t all go to one place to raise our children or to eat. We don’t all speak the same (language). We don’t all dress the same. However, there is an ability to learn from each other. Because we’re going to find the solutions to global problems.’
The mayor said, “For so many years, we have been together, fighting against those who want to attack people wearing turbans or hijab, against those with Islamophobia; we have been standing with each other side-by-side.”
He thanked the community and officials for honoring him by participating in the Pakistani flag-raising ceremony and said, “Happy Independence Day to a fantastic country’s 76 years.” —APP
