NEW YORK: A section of a busy avenue in Brooklyn — a borough of New York City — has been named after Quaid-i-Azam Moham­mad Ali Jinnah.

Under a resolution adop­t­ed on the occasion of Jin­nah’s birthday on Dec 25, the New York City Council designated the part of Coney Island Avenue — where the Pakistani-Ameri­can community is concentrated — as ‘Mohammad Ali Jinnah Way’.

The resolution was tabled at the New York City Council by councilman Jumaane Williams and was adopted by a majority vote.

“We are delighted over the council’s decision which meets our long-standing demand,” said PAYO President Waqil Ahmad. “It is a gift to the Pakistani-American community here as well as to the people of Pakistan,” he added.

Mr Waqil said that PAYO members had worked for years for official recognition of the Pakistani community even though the area around Coney Island Avenue was informally known as “Little Pakistan”.

“We are overjoyed that our efforts succeeded,” he said, explaining the complex procedures and demands involved and which the PAYO members completed.

Also present at the press conference were other PAYO members — Jawad Shabbir, Hamayun Riaz, Adeel Rana, and Zaigum Abbas.

An official ceremony marking the inauguration of the “Mohammad Ali Jinnah Way” is expected to be held next month.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2018