Avenue named after Jinnah formally inaugurated in Brooklyn
23
Amid vociferous slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad”, a section of a busy avenue in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, was formally unveiled on Friday after having been named "Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way" last December.
The decision to rename the stretch of Coney Island Avenue where the Pakistani community is concentrated was taken on Dec 26 when the New York City Council adopted a resolution to honour the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The move was the result of years of hard work and lobbying effort by the Pakistani community, especially the Pakistani-American Youth Organisation (PAYO).
The resolution was successfully piloted by Jumaane Williams, a city council member, who on Friday unveiled the road sign. Multi-coloured confetti was shot up in celebration and Pakistani-Americans, carrying Pakistan's flags, burst into 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 city council members for their efforts in realising their dream of having “Muhammad Ali Jinnah Way” in the area around the Coney Island Avenue, known as “Little Pakistan”.
“It is a gift to the Pakistani-American community here as well as to the people of Pakistan,” he added.
In pictures: The enigmatic Mr Jinnah
Williams, the city council member, said it was an honour for him to serve the Pakistani community and to inaugurate the newly named avenue.
He said he was aware of the suffering the members Pakistani community had to endure following the 9/11 attacks.
"But through resilience, the Pakistani community has now reached a point that the New York City Council bestowed a special honour on the father of their nation," Williams added.
Consul General Cheema said that today's ceremony reflected the close relations and friendship between the Pakistani community and the New York City Council. He paid a special tribute to PAYO for their hard work and for raising Pakistan's prestige in the United States.
Cheema said the Council's decision to honour the Quaid was "a recognition of the great statesman, an outstanding lawyer and a revered political leader whose epic struggle resulted in the creation of Pakistan".
