california senate unanimously
| |

California Senate unanimously honors Pakistani com…

ByJustpaste.in

The Pakistani-American community has received a major recognition in California, with the state Senate unanimously approving a resolution honoring its contributions to the state’s economy, culture and social life.

The resolution also highlights the long-standing relationship between Pakistan and the United States, placing particular emphasis on the role Pakistani-Americans have played in strengthening ties between the two countries.

Introduced by State Senator Melissa Hurtado, the resolution recognises the achievements of Pakistani-Americans across different fields and acknowledges their contribution to California’s continued development. A similar resolution reported by California authorities and Pakistani diplomatic sources was unanimously approved by the Senate, underscoring the community’s growing presence and influence in the state.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, welcomed the unanimous approval and expressed gratitude to Senator Hurtado for her leadership and efforts in recognising the Pakistani-American community.

The ambassador also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening people-to-people contacts and building on positive developments in Pakistan-US relations.

The resolution also recognises the role of Pakistani-American entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders in promoting economic cooperation. Their involvement in business and investment, particularly in technology and other emerging sectors, has helped create opportunities for stronger commercial links between Pakistan and the United States.

Sheikh’s engagement with California comes as Pakistani officials seek to expand economic, political and community-level ties with the state. During his visit, he met with state lawmakers and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation.

The recognition carries significance beyond the Pakistani-American community itself. California is one of the world’s largest economic centres and home to a diverse population, making acknowledgement by its legislature an important symbol of the community’s growing role.

The resolution also praised Ambassador Sheikh’s efforts to promote Pakistan-US relations.

For Pakistani-Americans, the Senate’s recognition represents more than a ceremonial gesture. It highlights decades of community participation, professional success and cultural engagement while offering a fresh opportunity to deepen connections between California and Pakistan.

The development is expected to further encourage people-to-people, economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    Kashmir Exploitation Day, Pakistan’s leaders uni…

    ByJustpaste.in

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan observed Kashmir Exploitation Day on Wednesday with political leaders across party lines renewing their support for the people of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, while condemning India’s constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, as unlawful and contrary to international law and United Nations resolutions. Messages of solidarity were issued by senior government officials, provincial leaders, parliamentarians and political parties, all reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. Rallies, public gatherings and awareness events were also held in different parts of the country to mark the occasion. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan would continue extending its political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people until they were able to exercise their internationally recognised right to self-determination. He described India’s unilateral decisions of August 5, 2019, as illegal and urged New Delhi to reverse all measures that altered the disputed territory’s constitutional status. Pakistan’s Foreign Office Pakistan’s Foreign Office also reaffirmed the country’s unwavering support for Kashmiris, paying tribute to what it described as their courage, resilience and sacrifices. A spokesperson said Pakistan would continue highlighting the Kashmir issue at regional and international forums and called on the global community to uphold international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to the families of those who lost their lives during the Kashmir conflict and appealed to the United Nations and international human rights organisations to take notice of alleged human rights violations in the region. She said August 5, 2019, represented an attack on the identity and rights of the Kashmiri people and maintained that Pakistan would continue raising its voice on their behalf. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also termed India’s constitutional changes a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. He urged the international community to play an effective role in ensuring the protection of human rights in Indian-administered Kashmir. Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly criticised India’s actions, saying attempts to alter the demographic composition of the disputed territory and undermine the identity of the Kashmiri people were unacceptable. He stressed that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of its people and relevant UN resolutions. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi In Peshawar, a solidarity rally led by Governor Faisal Karim Kundi marched from the Civil Secretariat to the Governor House. Government employees, civil society representatives and citizens participated in the event, carrying Pakistani and Kashmiri flags while expressing support for the Kashmiri cause. Addressing participants, Kundi said Pakistan would continue standing with Kashmiris and expressed confidence that the people of the region would eventually determine their own future according to their wishes. Sindh Interior and Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar Sindh Interior and Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said force and restrictions could not suppress the desire for freedom among Kashmiris. He alleged that India had violated international law and reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Sindh Assembly Speaker Awais Qadir Shah Sindh Assembly Speaker Awais Qadir Shah also urged the United Nations to play a more active role, saying Kashmiris had been facing serious human rights challenges for several years. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said the Kashmiri freedom movement would continue until the dispute was resolved in line with United Nations resolutions. He described the revocation of Kashmir’s special constitutional status as a challenge to international law and the UN system. Senator Sherry Rehman Senator Sherry Rehman praised the determination and resilience of the Kashmiri people, saying their struggle had continued despite years of political uncertainty. She maintained that India’s constitutional changes were aimed at ending the region’s special status. Federal Minister Amir Muqam At a separate rally in Islamabad, Federal Minister Amir Muqam said Pakistan marks August 5 every year to express solidarity with Kashmiris and condemn India’s actions. He alleged that demographic changes were being introduced in the disputed territory through settlement policies. PPP Parliamentarians Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari said the revocation of Kashmir’s special status had failed to weaken the freedom movement. He warned that policies pursued by the Indian government could further undermine regional peace and stability. The observance of Kashmir Exploitation Day concluded with renewed calls from Pakistan’s political leadership for greater international engagement on the Kashmir dispute. Leaders urged the United Nations and the global community to work towards a peaceful resolution of the issue in accordance with international law and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

  • |

    Erdogan says Makkah defence pact could expand across region

    ByJustpaste.in

    ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the vision behind the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan extends beyond the three signatories and could eventually include other regional countries. Erdogan said the agreement was designed to strengthen collective security and promote lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. He stressed that the pact was not directed against any particular country. Speaking in an interview with an Arab newspaper, Erdogan said the three countries wanted to create a broader regional framework based on cooperation, mutual trust and collective responsibility. He said countries that support peace, stability and prosperity should be able to join the framework in the future. According to Erdogan, the agreement is based on the principle of collective deterrence. A security threat against one member would be treated as a concern for the other members. He said the arrangement could also encourage joint defence-industry projects and greater cooperation against terrorism. Erdogan argued that regional countries should take greater responsibility for addressing their own security challenges rather than relying on solutions imposed from outside the region. He described the agreement as the outcome of long-running consultations among the participating countries and said it reflected changing conditions in the region. The Turkish president also rejected the idea that the pact was simply a response to tensions between the United States and Iran. He said its broader objective was to establish a durable mechanism for regional security. Focus on Gulf security Erdogan said the agreement could contribute to stability in the Gulf, which he described as vital to international trade and the global economy. He highlighted the importance of energy supplies, maritime routes and trade links passing through the region. He also expressed concern over tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, warning that prolonged disruption there could have consequences for economies around the world. Erdogan called for restraint and continued diplomatic engagement to ensure the waterway remains safe for international shipping. He said Türkiye preferred dialogue and negotiations over military escalation and believed diplomatic efforts were essential to resolving disputes in the region and beyond. The Makkah agreement formalises growing strategic cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The three countries describe the arrangement as defensive and aimed at strengthening collective deterrence rather than creating an offensive military bloc. Erdogan said stronger cooperation between Ankara and Riyadh would also contribute to regional stability. He pointed to expanding ties in defence, trade, investment, energy and tourism. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described the trilateral agreement as an extension of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s existing defence cooperation. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had earlier signed a strategic mutual defence agreement under which aggression against either country would be treated as aggression against both. The latest trilateral framework builds on those longstanding security ties and introduces Türkiye into a wider mechanism for defence cooperation.

  • | |

    New investigation team makes key decisions in Kara…

    ByJustpaste.in

      A meeting of the investigation team probing the death of Karachi-based young businessman Mir Raza has concluded at Ferozabad Police Station, where several important decisions were taken regarding the ongoing investigation. According to investigative sources, different tasks have been assigned to members of the committee as part of the inquiry. The family of Mir Raza will be formally interviewed and their statements will be recorded. The team has also decided to record the statements of 21 individuals who were taken into custody during the investigation. Following the meeting, members of the investigation committee left for the crime scene to inspect the location and collect additional evidence. The former investigating officer will also accompany the new investigation team during the visit. Meanwhile, the new investigation team has contacted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in connection with the case. The team has requested details of Mir Raza’s social media profiles and digital accounts to examine his online activity and determine whether it could provide any clues regarding his disappearance and death. The new team has written four letters to the NCCIA. In one of the letters, the agency was asked to conduct a forensic examination of Mir Raza’s smartwatch. The smartwatch was handed over to the NCCIA a day earlier for examination. However, the victim’s family has requested that the forensic examination of the smartwatch be conducted at a forensic laboratory in Lahore rather than by the NCCIA. The family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, said the smartwatch had remained in the possession of the former head of the investigation committee for several days, raising concerns about possible tampering. He demanded that the forensic examination be carried out in Lahore to ensure transparency and credibility. Earlier, on August 12, Dr Usama Sheikh, who conducted Mir Raza’s initial post-mortem examination, was removed from his position as a medico-legal officer. Officials said the doctor had committed serious errors during the initial post-mortem. He will appear before officials during an inquiry into the matter. A preliminary medical report following the exhumation and second post-mortem of Mir Raza indicated signs of physical trauma on his body. The report stated that the gunshot wound was smaller at the back and larger at the front, suggesting that the bullet may have entered from the rear. The report also revealed that Mir Raza had suffered fractured ribs and multiple injuries to his head and face. A fracture and wound approximately 12 centimetres long were found on his right thigh, while blood stains were also detected in tissues in the lower part of his body. The preliminary findings obtained after his exhumation on August 8 differed significantly from the initial post-mortem report. Evidence of a deep injury and fracture was found in his jaw, while injuries were also detected on his nasal bone and various parts of his face. Investigative sources said 17 samples were collected during the exhumation. Samples from Mir Raza’s parents were also obtained for DNA matching. The samples will be submitted to the forensic laboratory of the University of Karachi. After the samples were collected, Mir Raza was reburied on the same day, August 8. Mir Raza Ali Khan went missing from the PECHS area of Karachi on July 28. He left home at 4:09 a.m. in an online taxi, and his body was recovered from Gulistan-e-Johar two days later. Police said the body was found in a severely damaged condition and had a gunshot wound to the chest. His social media accounts had reportedly been shut down one day before his body was recovered. According to Mir Raza’s father, his son was scheduled to marry on August 30 at Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and had been very happy about starting a new chapter in his life.

  • |

    UK government and police launch comprehensive review into jurisdiction handling for US military personnel

    ByJustpaste.in

    The UK government and senior police chiefs have initiated a multi-departmental review to determine why British police forces have routinely ceded primary jurisdiction to the United States military in cases involving serious crimes committed on British soil. Under long-standing legal frameworks governing visiting forces, UK authorities hold primary jurisdiction over off-duty offences committed against local citizens. However, recent investigative revelations exposed multiple instances where forces such as Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Constabulary transferred investigations involving serious sexual assaults to US military prosecutors within days of receiving reports, often without consulting the Crown Prosecution Service. This systemic practice has drawn severe criticism from ministers, cross-party lawmakers, and legal experts due to the significant disparities between the British justice system and the US Uniform Code of Military Justice. Victims tried under US military courts martial face narrower legal definitions of sexual offences, lesser statutory charges, and fewer victim protection measures than those guaranteed in British Crown Courts. The high-profile prosecution of US fighter pilot Captain Jacob Wulfson at RAF Lakenheath, where an all-male military panel acquitted him of sexual assault, prompted Home Office and justice ministers to meet with victims and promise full accountability. Concurrently, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has issued updated guidance to all forces in England and Wales to enforce proper legal referral protocols, while individual constabularies have launched audits into their historic case transfer decisions.

  • Thailand’s First Conscientious Objector Handed Suspended Prison Sentence

    ByJustpaste.in

    SAMUT PRAKAN, Thailand — A Thai lower court has sentenced prominent student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal to a six-month prison term, suspended for one year, for refusing to participate in the national military conscription process. The landmark ruling marks the first time a Thai citizen has formally cited conscientious objection as the basis for boycotting the […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *