NEW YORK, Mar 31 (APP): A prominent political group of Pakistani-American activists has welcomed President Joe Biden’s decision to nominate Judge Zahid Quraishi, a Muslim-American, for the position of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, saying, “This a proud day.”
If confirmed by the Senate, New York-born Quraishi, who is of Pakistani ancestry, would be the first Muslim federal judge in U.S. history.
In a statement, the American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) called Biden’s move a “historic moment” in the the American judicial system.
APPAC, according to the statement, spearheaded Judge Quraishi’s candidacy after meetings with Senators Charles Schumer and Cory Booker in 2018 about the need to appoint a Muslim-American Judge to the US District Court Bench, and that his nomination by the president capped off that three-year long effort.
“The American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee congratulates Judge Zahid Quraishi on his historic appointment,” Dr. Ijaz Ahmad, APPAC chairman, said.
“We are proud to have played an instrumental role in making this appointment happen and thank President Biden, Senator Cory Booker, Senator Bob Menendez, Senator Charles Schumer and many other elected officials for hearing our calls about the need for a Muslim American Federal Judge,” he said.
“APPAC’s mission is to elevate Pakistani and Muslim Americans in the U.S. government so this appointment is a significant achievement for our organization.”
“He brings a wealth of perspectives to the bench and is a strong example of the contributions that Muslim Americans make to this country.” Dr. Ijaz Ahmad added.
Ather Tirmizi, executive director of APPAC, also congratulated Judge Quraishi, calling him “a very good friend.”
“Our strength comes from the diversity of ideas that we bring to resolve issues we face as a nation and in Zahid we hope to see that from the Federal Bench.” Tirmizi said.