Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations attract thousands in Virginia

WASHINGTON, Sept 4 (APP):Pakistani Americans and people from other Asian communities converged in thousands on
Virginia’s sprawling park on Sunday to celebrate the country’s 71 years of independence at an event that is described as America’s biggest South Asian annual festival.
US lawmakers, State Senators, Chairman of Virginia’s biggest Fairfax County, top police officials joined thousands of people from several states and chanted “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans as famous bands presented patriotic songs and the national anthem. People waived national flags, danced and cheered to celebrate the event with a traditional fervor.
Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan and the governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Ralph Northam had sent special proclamations to recognize Sept. 2, 2018 as the Annual Pakistan Festival, extending their warm greetings to the Pakistani Americans. Fairfax County Chairman Sharon Bulova also read out the proclamation.
“It is wonderful to join you once again at this wonderful festival,” said a beaming US Congresswoman Barbra Comstock, who recognized the importance of large Pakistani American community which, she said, was playing an important role in addressing hate crimes and highlighting issues facing the Muslim communities.
The US lawmaker used the forum to condemn the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, describing it as a genocide of Muslim in that country and urging the American press to cover this issue more and more to draw world attention.
Chairman Sharon Bulova of Fairfax, the US biggest county that is home to a large Pakistani American community, acknowledged that Pakistan Festival USA was the biggest South Asian event that showcase Pakistani culture, food and its liberal policies.
She said that event brought thousands of people from across the United States in the county which considers diverse communities, especially the Pakistani Americans, as its greatest assets.
Jennifer Wexton, State Senator, who is now running for Congress, the reasons that so many political personalities attended the event showed the strength of the Pakistani American community. She sought the community support for her election.
Realizing the strength of Pakistani Americans in shaping the national politics, State Senators and Congressional candidates urged people to register for vote to participate in November’s mid-term election that would decide who controls the Congress. Media reports suggest that mid-term elections could flip the house to Democrats, that could create problems for the Trump administration.
Two booths, approved by the Election Commission had been set up to facilitate people to register for vote.
The President of Washington Times, a daily newspaper published from Washington D.C, Tom McDavitt, attended the function with his wife. In his remarks, the said that people wanted to see good bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United States. He also underlined the importance of people-to-people contact to improve ties, which has come under strain after the Trump administration suspended security aid to Pakistan this year.
Mr. McDavitt, who stayed at the event for several hours, also threw light on the history of Pakistan and the events that led to its independence from the British rule in 1947.
Pakistan Festival USA has been recognized in the United States House of Representatives (Congress) as one of the largest annual events celebrating Pakistan’s Independence. In addition to people from the DC metropolitan“ Washington, Virginia and Maryland -, Pakistani Americans from states as far as Los Angles, California, New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey attended the function.
Highlights of the daylong event were live performance by renowned Pakistani Singer Ali Haider, who presented numerous patriotic songs. People shouted slogans of “Long live Pakistan” as they raised the national flags. A large number of young and old, including women and children attended the function.
A group of young Pakistani children presented the national anthem of Pakistan and USA. A contingent of Fairfax County Sheriff Color Guard presented the guard of honor. The entire program included cultural and singing performance by various other Pakistani and local artists.
At the end US Congress and State officials cut the Pakistan Anniversary cake. (APP/zh))