New York: The American Pakistani Advocacy Group (APAG) has achieved another historic milestone. Due to APAG’s efforts, the New York State Assembly and Senate have declared March 19 as Pakistani American Business Day and March 23 as Pakistan American Heritage Day.
APAG’s persistent efforts have borne fruit, as members of the New York State Assembly and Senate have recognized the outstanding contributions of the Pakistani community. Two critical resolutions, presented through Assemblyman Nader Sayegh and Senator John Liu, were successfully passed.
Assemblyman Nader Sayegh presented APAG’s resolution in the house to declare March 23 as Pakistan American Heritage Day, which was approved. During the session, Pakistan’s Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Khan, Consul General Aamir Ahmed Atozai, APAG President Ali Rasheed, and his entire team were present, proudly holding the Pakistani flag and displaying their patriotism.
Later, the approval of the resolutions was celebrated with a ceremony that began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Addressing the gathering, APAG President Ali Rasheed briefed the attendees about the organization’s performance and activities. He emphasized that APAG is continuously striving to engage Pakistani Americans in political activities, empower women, promote cultural exchanges, and present a positive image of Pakistan.
During the session, the Pakistani community also held discussions with New York State Assembly members on matters of mutual interest. On this occasion, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh and Consul General Aamir Ahmed Atozai highly praised APAG’s efforts and termed the approval of the resolutions as historic.
Assembly members Nader Sayegh, David Weprin, and Jennifer Rajkumar, who played a crucial role in presenting and passing the resolution, also addressed the gathering. They acknowledged APAG’s exceptional humanitarian services.
They highlighted that whether it was the challenging COVID-19 pandemic or any other community event, APAG has always been at the forefront of serving the community. Sultan Rasheed from APAG’s Youth Chapter and Tehmina Khan from the Women’s Chapter also shared their views, stating that APAG’s social initiatives have significantly strengthened relations between the Pakistani and American communities, marking a positive transformation.
On this occasion, Assemblyman Nader Sayegh, in the presence of Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Consul General Aamir Ahmed Atozai, and APAG President Ali Rasheed, officially presented the proclamation of the resolution passed by the Assembly. Later, APAG hosted an Iftar dinner in honor of its team and guests.
