Author: World News

  • New York: The American Pakistani Advocacy Group (APAG) organized a ‘Meet and Greet’ in honor of New York-16 Congressman candidate Jamaal Bowman, who has been vocal for the rights of oppressed Palestinians, and Indian-held Kashmiris,  who have been struggling for their right to self-determination for the last seven decades.

     The magnificent event, held in Queens Villages New York was attended by Pakistani community members in large numbers.

    The participants vowed to extend their all-out support for Jamal Bowman to get him elected as US congressman in the forthcoming polls.

    The event began with the recitation of a few verses of the Holy Quran, followed by national anthems of the United States and Pakistan.

    Speaking at the event, Ali Rashid, President of the American Pakistani Advocacy Group, said: “We are more Americans than Pakistanis because we live here and the future of our children is also connected here, so we should play an active role in US local politics.”

     

    Ali Rashid said that the American Pakistani Advocacy Group was formed three years ago. The purpose of our gathering here today is to support Jamal Bowman who is a candidate for Congressman in the upcoming election and we have to support him through the power of the vote. Jamal has always raised his voice for the oppressed Kashmiris.

    Addressing the event, Jamal Bowman thanked the people of the community and said that it would be an honor for him to serve in Congress from the New York-16 for Palestine and Kashmiris who are struggling for the right of self-determination.

    At the event, APAG Director Amin Ghani and other community members also expressed good wishes for Jamal Bowman.

  • New York: Pakistan’s 75 Independence Day was marked at the Pakistan House in Brooklyn, with great national fervor.

    Pakistani Consul General, American officials and members of the Pakistani community graced the event with their presence.

    The theme of the event organized by Alizai Foundation was ‘Stability of Pakistan’.

    The event was moded by Shah Rooz Alizai.

    The function began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, after which well-known community leaders, Rana Akhlaq Ahmed and Mirza Anees Baig recited Naat and religious poems.

    The national anthems of America and Pakistan were also presented on this occasion. President of Pakistan Peoples Party America chapter Khalid Awan, Sarwar Chaudhry, Muslim League-N’s Danish Malik, PTI’s Abrar Khan and Zafar Khan also participated.

    Founder of Pakistan House Naseem Khan also praised the role of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the establishment of Pakistan.

    Congresswoman Yvette Clark and other guests expressed their happiness for participating in the event. They said that the work of Pakistanis in American welfare organizations is commendable.

    A cake cutting ceremony was also held in connection with the Independence Day, while a pledge was also expressed that the Pakistani community would always maintain the tradition of an active role in the development of America.

  • New Jersey: The American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) marked 75th independence anniversary of Pakistan by organizing a colorful magnificent event with national sprit, in New Jersey.

    The event was graced by American senator Cory Booker and Pakistani community with their presence. On this occasion, the event participants expressed their resolve to work for the progress and prosperity of both friendly countries – Pakistan and USA and to deepen bilateral ties in order to achieve the shared interests.

    The dignified ceremony was held at the residence of Pakistan’s leading businessman and social personality Nick Saleem.

    A variety of delicious food was also served to the participants.

    Women participated in dresses decorated with the colors of the Pakistani flag, a demonstration of love, connection and respect towards the motherland. They were the center of attention, as they continue to take selfies till the culmination of the independence celebratory event.

    Nick Salem, while thanking the distinguished guests, also invited APPAC head Dr. Ejaz for the address.

    Dr. Ejaz, in his address said that the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the prestige of Pakistan in the world. Ejaz Ahmed also presented the famous song ‘Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhe Qadam Qadam Abad Tujhe’ in his melodious voice that caught the attention of the event participants.

    Senator Cory Booker – who participated the event to wish the Pakistanis a happy Independence Day, stressed in his address the need of work on the promotion of Pakistan-US economic trade in order to strengthen the mutual relations between the two friendly countries.

    Senator Cory Booker not only spoke of the strong bond between the American and Pakistani people, but also prayed for its continuation. Senator Cory Booker seemed very excited at the event, taking selfies with attendees.

    Dr. Mehmood Alam of APPAG said: “we need collective and practical efforts for the development of America.” Dr. Mehmood Alam of APPEC also raised slogans of friendship between Pakistan and America.

    The event participants were of the view that Senator Cory Booker’s desire for Pakistan-US economic trade will play an important role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries. While Dr. Ejaz the head of APPAG and his team, will play the role for closed relations between Pakistan and USA.

  • TEXAS: Pakistan Society of North Texas (PSNT) organized a magnificent festival named ‘the Quaid Mela,’ in Dallas in connection with Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day, which is dubbed the largest festival by Pakistanis on U.S soil.

    Famous singers Ali Haider, and classical and pop singer Naeem Abbas Rufi presented songs at the live show, while the late Ustad Amanat Ali’s famous patriotic song “Ay  Watan Pyary Watan” was also presented. Famous Pakistani comedian and actor Faisal Qazi also mesmerized the audience at Quaid Mela with his great performance.

    More than 5 thousand Pakistani American families participated in the event. The event was moderated by PSNT Treasurer Abid Baig and Dallas renowned RJ Shazia Khan.

    President of Pakistan Society of North Texas Abid Malik, Vice President Salman Tabani, Chairman Board of Trustee Dr Riaz Haider, Abid Baig, Secretary General of PSNT, PSNT board members Amir Ali Rupani, Barkat Ali Baseria and others were present on this occasion.

    On this occasion PSNT President Abid Malik informed the audience about the organization’s establishment, historical background, past performance and important initiatives. Abid Malik said in a conversation with VOSA TV that the trust of the Pakistani community living in Dallas Fort Worth on PSNT is a great asset for their entire team.

    PSNT has always been at the forefront of serving the Pakistani community, the extraordinary display of love for the country that was seen here at the Quaid Mela was never seen anywhere before.

    PSNT Vice President Salman Tabani also thanked all the sponsors of the Quaid Mela and said that without their support such a big event would not have been possible. He also thanked all the volunteers for their voluntary services.

    While the music program was the center of attention of the participants in the event, the decorated Pakistani clothes and traditional food stalls were also the center of attention of the people.

    On this occasion, Chairman Board of Trustee Dr Riaz Haider said that everyone enjoyed today’s celebration and the credit goes to our community for making it a success.

    Abid Baig, Secretary General of PSNT said that two years after the Covid-19, the show of Jashan-e-Azadi was organized and we got a better response than expected, we will do better in the future.

    In a conversation with VOSA TV, PSNT board members Amir Ali Rupani, Barkat Ali Baseria and others said that Pakistan Day Quaid Mela has broken all the records of success this year; we wholeheartedly support the entire community, and we are grateful.

    The participants of the event danced to Pakistani songs and national anthems. Most of the women and children were carrying green flags and dressed in costumes matching the national flag.

    Participants said that such a magnificent independence fair had never been seen here before. Today he is very happy to see all Pakistanis united under one national flag without discrimination.

    PSNT undoubtedly deserves congratulations for organizing such an organized programme.

    The participants of this Quaid Mela, which continued till late night, congratulated the entire team of PSNT for organizing a very organized and splendid Azadi Mela.

  • Washington, 14 August 2022: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan has said that Pakistan was being positioned as an economic and transit hub and a meeting point for positive global interests.

    “We are committed to making Pakistan a beacon of peace and prosperity in the region”, said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States.

    He was addressing Flag Hoisting Ceremony on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan which was attended by senior officials of US State Department, friends of Pakistan from the US, and a large number of the Pakistani diaspora.

    The Ambassador hoisted the national flag to the tune of the national anthem.

    Addressing the gathering, the Ambassador paid homage to the sacrifices of our forefathers for their vision and unparalleled sacrifices that ultimately resulted in the creation of a miracle called Pakistan. “Pakistan had a remarkable journey over the last 75 years. Despite external and internal challenges, Pakistan has moved forward to become a resilient nation”, observed the Ambassador.

    Elaborating on the future vision of the country, the Ambassador said that Pakistan’s unique geographic location, demographic dividend, democratic orientation, rich human and natural resources clearly put the country in a unique position to realize its vision.

    The Ambassador, on the occasion, highlighted close friendly ties with the United States and a robust partnership between the two countries in various critical sectors including trade, investment, regional connectivity, energy cooperation, people-to-people ties, education and cultural exchanges.

    “We have been partners in making peace, building peace and keeping peace. We will continue to work with the U.S. for peace and prosperity in the region and beyond”, said the Ambassador.

    The Ambassador said that the people of Pakistan have always had tremendous cultural affinity for the U.S. Our brightest young men and women aspire to study in U.S. colleges and universities through scholarship programs such as Fulbright. These Fulbright scholars have contributed tremendously to Pakistan’s socio-economic progress.

    The Ambassador, on the occasion, also appreciated the role of dynamic and vibrant Pakistani American community in the US and their valuable contributions to the US politics, culture and economy. “They are a bridge between the two countries”, remarked Masood Khan.

    A cake cutting ceremony was also held in connection with Pakistan’s independence day.

    Elizabeth Horst, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary from State Department, speaking on the occasion said that the founders of both the countries ‘envisioned an independent and democratic free society.’

    She reiterated that United States has always viewed a strong, prosperous and democratic Pakistan as essential for the interests of both the countries.

    “We have fostered decades of collaboration between Pakistan and the United States. Among the challenges our two countries are jointly addressing are boosting trade development, the ongoing COVID-19, climate crisis, improving educational access and excellence and regional peace and stability”, Ms. Horst said.

    Youth representatives and high achievers also spoke on the occasion.

    Ms. Sania Alam, recipient of US President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and a coach for Speed Learning and Mind-mapping, and Dr. Qaisra Saeed, who scaled K-2 besides her other notable achievements, also addressed the gathering. The children also presented national song which was greatly applauded by the gathering.

  • TEXAS: Otto von Bismarck’s famous quotation “Politics is the art of possible” clearly depicts relations between MQM and PPP – the once rival political forces of Pakistan are currently close allies, and the MQM senior leader Babar Ghori’s presence at Pakistan Day celebration organized by PPP Texas chapter, means a lot for those who have interest in Pakistan’s politics.

    Office bearers of Pakistan People’s Party Texas organized a colorful event to mark the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan at a local restaurant in Houston in which MQM’s leader and former federal minister Babar Ghori delivered a keynote address.

    The event was well attended by various personalities of the community.

    President of Pakistan People’s Party America, Khalid Awan on this occasion said that if Pakistan is to be developed then each person has to play his due role. Addressing the participants, Khalid Awan said that there is no strength greater than mutual unity, whoever can work for the development of the country, he should do his duty.

    The function was presided over by Mumtaz Chung, President of PPP Texas.  Mumtaz Chung and Aziz Nizamani also spoke at the Independence Day ceremony. Hesaid that People’s Party is truly people’s party. We will make it the same people’s party in America. We will take all Pakistanis together without discrimination.

    On this occasion, former federal minister Babar Ghori, who was the main speaker of the event, expressed his views and said that Houston has an atmosphere like Karachi and is a city of sharing love.

    Speakers who participated in the event spoke openly about the establishment of Pakistan and the difficulties of the country. The participants agreed that the success of Pakistan is only in unity. Finally, Khalid Awan thanked the Texas officials for his warm welcome.

  • New York: On the instructions of Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP’s USA chapter President Khalid Awan has kicked-off work for the establishment of new organizational chapters, and membership campaign across America.

    In this regard, he is visiting various states. Khalid Awan arrived in Houston, Texas while visiting different states from New York on the instructions of Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto.Khalid Awan met all the office bearers of Texas, informed them about the instructions of the party chairman and instructed them all to work together to make the party more active in America.

    Later, Khalid Awan went to the residence of Nusrat Lashari and Takhleeq Lashari in Houston, recited Fatiha and had breakfast there.

    Later, Khalid Awan went to the house of Asad Sheikh, condoled the death of his brother, and father and prayed for forgiveness and Fatiha for the elevation of the deceased.

    People’s Party Texas Wing President Mumtaz Chung invited Khalid Awan for lunch at his residence.

    The members of the People’s Party dressed Khalid Awan in the Sindhi traditional Ajarak and a Sindhi cap.

    Khalid Awan expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the People’s Party and also gave instructions that everyone should work together to make the organization stronger.

    Finally, Nusrat Lashari, president of Women’s Wing, organized a high tea in honor of Khaled Awan at a local restaurant. The women members of Women’s Wing were also present on this occasion.

  • New York: As Pakistan and USA are celebrating their 75th deepened bilateral relations, New York City Mayor Eric Adams hoisted Pakistan’s national flag on  75th Independence Day.

    Organized by the American Pakistani Advocacy Group (APAG)  in collaboration with the New York City Mayor’s Office, Pakistanis and Americans gathered under one banner in the financial district of lower Manhattan’s Bowling Green Park and celebrated Pakistan’s independence day.

    When the celebration began, New York City Mayor Eric Adams raised the green crescent flag together with Pakistanis.

     

     

     

     

    Addressing the ceremony, Mayor Eric Adams said: “We want to make all nationalities feel that they are not strangers in this country and that is the uniqueness of America.”

     

     

     

     

    While Ali Rashid, the head of APPAG, said in his speech that Pakistanis are the fourth largest immigrant community in New York and have always played their role in the development here.

    Finally, the members of the New York State Assembly, who participated in the celebration of Pakistan’s independence, also expressed their views. They said that it is an honor to participate in today’s event, Pakistanis have done a lot for humanity during the Covid epidemic.

     

     

    Jenifer Rajkumar said that her ancestors were also from the city of Multan in Pakistan.

     

     

     

     

    Prominent personalities of the Pakistani community and their families also participated in the event. Addressing the participants, First Pakistani Commissioner and Chief Administrator Law Judge Asim Rehman, First Pakistani Deputy Inspector Adeel Rana and Head of Council of Peoples Organization (COPO) Muhammad Rizvi said that Eric Adams has fulfilled his promises that he made before being elected to include the immigrant community in his team.
    On this occasion, Ayesha Ali, the second female Consul General of Pakistan in New York, said that she has been appointed as the first Consul General of Pakistan in the last thirty years.

    In the end, Ali Rasheed, president of APPAG, said in a conversation with VOSA TV  that it is the first time in the history of New York that an elected mayor has hoisted the flag of Pakistan, it is a matter of pride for us.

    Green T-shirts were also distributed among the participants in the Independence Day celebration and the participants raised loud slogans of Live Long Pakistan.

     

  • New York: Pakistan Muslim League-N USA chapter on Sunday celebrated the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan, with national zest and fervor.

    The mega event was held at the Muslim League House on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The ceremony was started with the recitation of Holy Quran.

    PML-N leader Raja Razak presented Naat Rasool Maqbool.

    A cake cutting ceremony was also held in connection with the Independence Day of Pakistan.

    In the celebration of independence day of Pakistan, prominent figures of the community, including women and children, besides PMLN officials and workers, participated in large numbers and all of them sang the national anthem of Pakistan, together.

    Addressing the participants of the event, Muslim League-N US chapter President Rohail Dar said that the Pakistani nation never liked dictatorship, the Tehreek-e-Insaf government was toppled according to the constitution, Imran Khan should account for his actions.

    While Vice President Mian Fayyaz said that whenever the country faced trials, it was the Muslim League that got the country out of trouble.

    On this occasion PMLN New York President Ahmed Jan felicitated the participants on the 75th Independence Day. In his address, he said that we are lucky to have been born in Pakistan, we all should not let the national interest get in the way of personal enmity, we have to protect this country.

    In celebration of Independence, the Muslim League House was decorated with the national flag and green and white balloons. On this occasion, other PML-N leaders expressed their views and said that the political parties of the country should now unite and work for the development and prosperity of the country, now the politics of hatred should end, once and for all.

    The participants said that today we are also remembering our Indian Occupied Kashmiri brothers on Pakistan’s Independence Day.

     

     

     

     

  • New York: Salman Rushdie – the author of blasphemous Novel “Satanic Verses” was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck on stage Friday before giving a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York, State Police said.

    An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man confront Rushdie on stage at the Chautauqua Institution and punch or stab him 10 to 15 times as he was being introduced. The 75-year-old author was pushed or fell to the floor.

    According to CNN, the suspect has been taken into custody by a state trooper at the event.
    Rushdie was airlifted to a local hospital, police said.

    As per BBC, the New York state governor Kathy Hochul confirms at a press conference that Rushdie is still alive. Rushdie is “getting the care he needs” after being taken to hospital, says Hochul. More information is being gathered about the perpetrator, she adds.

    Medical staff and police were called to the amphitheater, according to a Chautauqua spokesperson who would not elaborate or confirm details about the incident Salman Rushdie

    According to The News International, the author, now 75, was propelled into the spotlight with his second novel “Midnight’s Children” in 1981, which won international praise and Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for its portrayal of post-independence India. His controversial 1988 book “The Satanic Verses” sparked a fatwa, or religious decree, leading to death threats. The novel was considered by Muslims as disrespectful of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

    Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous. A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued an edict calling for Rushdie’s death.

    US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has condemned the “shocking and appalling” attack on British author Salman Rushdie
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    “It is an attack on freedom of speech and thought, which are two bedrock values of our country and of the Chautauqua Institution,” he tweeted.

    He says he hopes the perpetrator experiences full accountability and justice, and wishes Rushdie a quick and full recovery.

  • KARACHI: U.S Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Thursday visited the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum in Karachi – the port city and financial capital of the south Asian nuclear Muslim country, and extended felicitations to Pakistan on its 75th Independence Day.

    He said United States values this long-standing cooperation with Pakistan and has always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to U.S. interests.

    Ambassador Blome laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum and signed the guest book on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. Blome later visited the tombs of Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, and Fatima Jinnah, Jinnah’s sister .

    The United States shares the Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of a Pakistan of religious tolerance, economic prosperity and social inclusion and that is at peace with itself and its neighboring countries, says US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome.

    “It was a great honour for me to be at the Mazar-e-Quaid to pay respects and commemorate his legacy,” Blome said.

    “This year marks 75 years of bilateral relations between the United States and Pakistan. The United States values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan and has always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests,” Blome was reported as saying by The News.

    The US Embassy and Consulate in Pakistan posted on its officials website the following Examples of our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan

    The United States has donated more than 77 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Pakistan, including 16 million pediatric vaccines recently pledged in Washington. This contribution is part of our ongoing solidarity with the people of Pakistan as they confront this devastating pandemic, and among the largest donations from the United States to any country worldwide.

    In addition to vaccine doses, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government has provided nearly $70.4 million in direct support and $13.8 million in in-kind support to assist the Pakistani people in the fight against COVID-19. An additional $20 million in USAID funding is also planned to support vaccination efforts in Pakistan.

    Our trade relationship with Pakistan has helped both Pakistani industries and consumers. The United States continues to be Pakistan’s top single country export destination.  Also, in the last fiscal year alone, U.S. direct investment in Pakistan increased by 50 percent, and is now the highest it has been in over a decade.  S. agricultural exports to Pakistan have grown from $287 million in 2014 to $1.3 billion in 2021.

    In 2021, U.S. firms planted more than 600,000 trees in Pakistan to combat climate change and support climate adaptation measures. In 2022, the U.S. Mission to Pakistan collaborated with the Houston-Karachi Sister City Association to plant an additional 10,000 trees in Pakistan.

    The United States has supported the addition of more than 4,000 MW of clean energy capacity in Pakistan, enough power for more than 47 million Pakistanis. S. firms are already making significant investments to help Pakistan provide expanded access to a cleaner, more resilient energy supply.  General Electric (GE) turbines and equipment are widely used in Pakistan, including wind-powered turbines that increase Pakistan’s renewable energy generation capacity.

    With the support of the State Department’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Affairs Bureau, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force reported seizing 10 metric tons of morphine and heroin, 27 metric tons of opium, 71 kgs of cocaine, and 111 metric tons of hashish during the first 10 months of 2021 – denying revenue to drug trafficking organizations and terrorist groups.

    We look forward to continuing our work with Pakistan to grow and expand our commercial and economic ties, expand our collaboration in education, improve access to renewable energy, and increase agricultural cooperation, between our countries.  We also look forward to more cooperation on integrating women into Pakistan’s economy.

     

  • New York: The possible spread of Poliovirus has disturbed the New York State as Federal health officials have arrived in New York over concerns that polio may be spreading, according to the Inside Edition digital.  

    The virus has been found in multiple wastewater samples. The officials with the New York State Department of Health are urging unvaccinated adults and children to get vaccinated to protect themselves against polio.

    Bill Gates, whose foundation has been funding polio vaccines, has also warned that the disease’s reemergence in New York is a threat to us all

    Talking to Twitter Bill Gates said: News that polio has been detected in New York wastewater samples is an urgent reminder: until we #EndPolio for good, it remains a threat to us all. The global eradication strategy must be fully supported to protect people everywhere.”

    The resurgence of the virus is disturbing New York State. According to local health authorities, “there could be hundreds or even thousands of undiagnosed cases of ‘overwhelming’ infection,” Rockland County Health Commissioner Patricia Schnabel Robert, where it was reported last month, explained to the BBC issue.

    An unvaccinated man reported polio. His infection appears to be genetically related to traces of the polio virus found in wastewater in London and Jerusalem. In episodes that followed Countries were asked to increase vaccination rates.

    According to KTBS, a polio case identified in New York last month is “just the very, very tip of the iceberg” and an indication there “must be several hundred cases in the community circulating,” a senior official with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN.

    The case was found in Rockland County, which has a stunningly low polio vaccination rate. Dr. José Romero, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, noted that the majority of people with polio don’t have symptoms and so can spread the virus without knowing it.

    “There are a number of individuals in the community that have been infected with poliovirus. They are shedding the virus,” he said. “The spread is always a possibility because the spread is going to be silent.”

    On Aug. 4, New York health authorities announced they had detected polio in wastewater samples from two counties north of New York City.

    A few days back, the Federal health authorities sent a small team to New York to investigate the state’s one positive case of polio, the first in the country since 2013.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) deployment to the state comes after health officials revealed on July 21 that a 20-year-old man from Rockland County tested positive for the disease.

     

  • New York: Thousands of Muslim devotees attended the Ashura procession in Brooklyn, New York to pay homage to Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and his local companions who rendered their precious lives for the Nobel cause of justice and restoration of forgotten Islam.

    Yaum-i-Ashura is observed every year on Muharram 10 with solemnity to pay homage to Imam Hussain and other martyrs of Karbala.

    The 10 Muharram-ul-Haram processions were taken out from the Al-Mahdi Center on Coney Island Avenue also known as Little Pakistan, Brooklyn, New York, and culminated on Foster Avenue, after passing through its traditional routes through Coney Island.

    The mourners including women and children mourned and chanted slogans like ‘Labbaik Ya Hussain’ in the procession and continued to beat their chests and heads in memory of the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain and Ahlulbait in the soil of Karbala at the hands of evil forces of Yazid.

     

    Along with followers of other religions including Shiiats, Sunni brothers also participated in administrative activities in the procession.

    Roadside Sabeels were also set up. The volunteers were serving the mourners with water and juices on the occasion.

    During the procession, the participants also raised slogans of Labbaik O Hussain (AS) and Labbaik O Zahra.

     

    Religious Scholar Dr. Sakhawat Hussain Sundralvi said in a conversation with VOSA TV that this procession is one of the biggest processions of 10th of Muharram in North America. He also prayed for the well-being of Muslims and all human beings.

    Dr. Sakhawat Hussain Sundralvi also thanked the journalists and administration members who covered all the people participating in the procession.

  • New York: What if the low-income families and disadvantaged communities living in United States are worried about school supplies for their children on the eve of new academic session in September, ICNA-Relief – the largest Muslim charity organization is there to heal their financial woes to greater extent by providing them free backpacks with supplies. 

    For the past ten years, the ICNA-Relief under this “Back2School” program has distributed around 50,000 school bags with supplies to low-income families across the United States.

    The first program of this series was held in New York recently. For this mega event, ICNA-Relief in collaboration with the Nassau County Asian American Affairs organized a very wonderful and memorable program for the needy families at Cradle of Aviation Museum.

     

    Despite the intense heat, hundreds of families participated in this program, not only school bags were distributed, but also a colorful show was staged, where in great things of interest to children such as video games and much more were presented.

    Ice cream distributed free of cost to the children and their parents who enjoyed the cold ice cream, amid scorching heat.

    On the other hand, hot popcorn and cotton candy also attracted the attention of children in hot weather.

    A medical camp was set up under the supervision of Dr. Mushahid Farooqui, where the visitors got their blood pressure, sugar etc. tested, free of cost.

    On this occasion, medical aid was also given to the person who fainted due to extreme heat.

    The special feature of this program was that it was made free for children and parents by the Nassau County Museum of Aviation.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, children and adults not only got to know about the history of aviation, but also got a close look at the fighter and passenger planes and also enjoyed the cockpit.

    On this occasion, ICNA-Relief officials thanked the Nassau County Asian Affairs Committee and said that the county administration has given full support.

    Akram Chaudhry, Senior Adviser to Executive Bruce A Blackman of Nassau County, highly appreciated ICNA-Relief’s services.

    Urooj Islam of Asian American Affairs said that in this era of inflation, even a little help goes a long way.

    Talking to WOSA TV, Arshad Jamal, Director of North East, Atifur Rehman, in charge of Back2School New York, Ishaq Alpar, in charge of ICNA-Relief New York, expressed their views and said that ICNA-Relief participates in the happiness of their American every year.

     

     

  • New York: Pakistan Consulate in New York officially marked Kashmir Exploitation Day to denounce India’s illegal move to end the special status of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

    The participants renewed their pledge that they will not withdraw their support for the oppressed Kashmiris under any circumstances.

    Prominent personalities of Pakistani and Kashmir community participated in the event.

    Addressing the participants, Consul General of Pakistan to New York Ayesha Ali said that the basic human rights have been violated by the Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir. Oppressed Kashmiris are being killed extra-judicially.

    Members of the Kashmiri community who participated in the event also expressed their feelings and thoughts.

    They said that no power on the earth including India can suppress the freedom struggle of Kashmiris through oppression and Kashmiri people will never back down from freedom movement.

    Deputy Consul General Nawab Adil Khan and others also addressed the ceremony. On this occasion, a documentary film based on Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir was also presented for the awareness of the audience, and a photo exhibition based on the incidents of genocide of Kashmiris at the hands of Indian forces was also presented.

  • New York: Unique protests are being staged across USA against the Indian government’s August 5, 2019 decision to end the special status of Occupied Kashmir.

    Advertising screens, taxis and trucks became the voice of oppressed Kashmiris and right activists, especially Pakistani and Kashmiri communities based in Washington State, New York, California and Texas who took roads and streets against the Indian Government’s move to revoke the special status of IOK.

    To expose Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir, signboards and billboards also became the voice of oppressed Kashmiris in US cities.


    The taxis plying on the streets of different cities also participated in this protest. Demands were written on the taxis in clear words to stop the genocide of Kashmiris and give freedom to Kashmir.

    trucks also patrolled in many cities to show solidarity with Kashmiris,and pictures of Kashmiris who were victims of Indian oppression were displayed on them.

    Inscriptions on several trucks condemned the criminal silence of the international community on Indian state suppression on Occupied Kashmir.

    They demanded the United Nations to put pressure on the Indian government to restore the special status of Occupied Kashmir and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, and resolve the Kashmir issue as per the wishes.

  • New York: The American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) organized a fundraising event in honor of Phil Ramos, a candidate for the Senate in New York State’s district 4.

    The event, held at APPAC chairman Dr. Ijaz Ahmed’s residence in New York, was moderated by Adnan Bukhari, President of APPAC.

    Adnan welcomed the guests on their arrival. On this occasion, he said that Phil Ramos is a bold and principled politician who has always been a staunch supporter of the Muslim community in NYC and worked for the resolution of their problems. On behalf of the Muslim community living in the US, particularly in NYC, Adnan extended his all-out support in the forthcoming polls to Phil Ramos.

    Chief guest Phil Ramos had a detailed discussion on various issues with Chairman APPAC Dr. Ijaz Ahmed. APPEC host committee members Chaudhary Tanveer, Hasan Ahmed, Ijaz Bukhari, Nayyar Imam, Nayyar Abbas, Saeed Hassan, Athar Tirmizi and other prominent personalities of the community also participated in the event.

    APPEC members said that we have high expectations from Phil Ramos, urging the Pakistani community to elect Phil Ramos as a senator with their vote.

    The participants said that Phil Ramos is an effective and powerful voice for Muslims in American politics. It is hoped that he will be elected as a member of the Senate and will do more work in favor of Muslims.

    On this occasion, Phil Ramos, while addressing the audience, said that APPAC has played a very key role in bringing the Muslim community into the American political system and solving problems without being involved in the political system.

    At the end of the event, Phil Ramos thanked the entire APPAC team for fundraising. APEC appealed to the community to support every politician who raises voice for Muslims.

  • Vienna: Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington resumed in Vienna with a meeting between Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and the EU’s Enrique Mora, who coordinates the talks aimed at salvaging a 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian state media reported on Thursday.

    According to Reuters, both Tehran and Washington have played down the prospect of a breakthrough in this round of talks, while the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has warned there is no room left for further major compromises.

    As Iran refuses to hold direct talks with the United States, Mora will shuttle between Ali Bagheri Kani and U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley, who tweeted on Wednesday he was heading to Vienna with his expectations “in check”.

    Signaling little flexibility to resolve remaining thorny issues, Bagheri Kani put the onus on the White House to compromise, saying in a tweet the United States should “show maturity & act responsibly”.

    According to New York Times, before the meeting, Mr. Malley suggested that he did not expect major progress. “Our expectations are in check, but the United States welcomes E.U. efforts and is prepared for a good-faith attempt to reach a deal,” he wrote on Twitter. “It will shortly be clear if Iran is prepared for the same.” Iran negotiators still refuse to meet directly with Americans.

    Mr. Bagheri Kani said that the burden was on Washington. “The onus is on those who breached the deal & have failed to distance from ominous legacy,” he wrote in his own Twitter message. A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanani, described the talks as “a discussion and exchange of views.”

    Speaking at the United Nations, Iran’s ambassador to the global body, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, blamed Washington for failing to guarantee that Iran would receive the pact’s economic benefits. “Achieving this objective has been delayed because the United States is yet to decide to give assurance that Iran will enjoy the promised economic benefits in the agreement,” he said.

    The delay has meant that Iran has pressed ahead with its nuclear program so far that it will be difficult to monitor any revived agreement, even if one is reached, suggested the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael M. Grossi.

    Little remains of the 2015 deal, which lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme. But then-President Donald Trump ditched the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions.

    After 11 months of indirect talks in Vienna between Tehran and President Joe Biden’s administration, however, the broad outline of a revived deal was essentially agreed in March.

    But talks then broke down, chiefly because of Tehran’s demand that Washington remove its Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) from a U.S. terrorism list and the U.S. refusal to do so.

    To overcome the impasse, Borrell in July proposed a new draft text, which two Iranian officials said Tehran “was not happy” with it.

    “Iran has shown enough flexibility. Now it is up to Biden to make a decision. We have our own suggestions that will be discussed in the Vienna talks, such as lifting sanctions on the Guards gradually,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

    According to CBS News, Iranian officials have been trying to offer optimistic assessments of the negotiations while blaming the U.S. for the deadlock. They may be worried that a collapse of the talks could send the country’s rial currency plunging to new lows.

    Iran struck the nuclear deal in 2015 with the U.S., France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China. The deal saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium under the watch of U.N. inspectors in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

    Then-President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. out of the accord in 2018, saying he would negotiate a stronger deal, but that didn’t happen. Iran began breaking the deal’s terms a year later.

    Reports suggest, as of the last public IAEA count, Iran has a stockpile of some 3,800 kilograms (8,370 pounds) of enriched uranium. More worrying for nonproliferation experts, Iran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity — a level it had never reached before. That is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

  • Kansas: Kansas voters decided against removing the right to abortion from the State Constitution, according to The Associated Press.

    The Pro-choice activists celebrated after Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that sought to remove protections for abortion rights.

    The referendum failed decisively 61% to 39%, with 2,540 of 3,994 precincts reporting, according to The Kansas City Star.

    This was the first vote on the issue in the country since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June and a major victory for the abortion rights movement. If passed, it could have led to further restrictions or an abortion ban across Kansas.

    “The voters in Kansas have spoken loud and clear: We will not tolerate extreme bans on abortion,” Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, told supporters after the victory, The New York Times reported.

    This closely watched vote came three months before the midterm elections. Its outcome surprised many, in an election where both political parties, per the newspaper, spent a combined $12 million-plus on advertising surrounding the campaign issue, according to reports.

    Kansas is widely regarded as a deeply conservative and usually reliably Republican state in the US.

    The move will be seen as a huge loss for the anti-abortion movement and a major win for abortion rights advocates across America, who will see the result as a bellwether for popular opinion

    According to the Guardian, Joe Biden issued a statement welcoming the result. “This vote makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own healthcare decisions,” the US president said.

    The Kansas state senator Dinah Sikes, a Democrat, cried as the vote came in, and turned to her friends and colleagues, showing them goosebumps on her arm.

    “It’s just amazing. It’s breathtaking that women’s voices were heard and we care about women’s health,” she told the Guardian, after admitting she had thought the vote would be close. “But we were close in a lot of rural areas and that really made the difference – I’m just so grateful,” she said.

  • Saudi Arab: As Muharram – the first month in the Islamic calendar has kicked off, pilgrims from all over the world including Pakistan and the United States (US) have started arriving in the holly Makkah to perform the Umrah rituals, with religious devotion and fervor.

    Since the Saudi’s Hajj and Umrah ministry has announced the start of the Umrah season on Muharram 1, as many as 6,000 visas have been issued to pilgrims from 46 countries, according to Saudi officials.

    A large number of Iqama holders, including Saudi citizens, are also enjoying the blessing of Umrah.

    While the number of visas is being increased every day, Pakistani and other foreign Iqama holders are also reaching Makkah in large numbers from all over Saudi Arabia.

    After the Hajj season, once again the splendor of Madinah Munawarah and other places including Taif has been reopened, while the pilgrims are shopping at the stalls of Ihram sellers, and they are heading towards Makkah after tying Ihram.

    Mataf corridor in Masjid al-Haram has been allocated for Umrah pilgrims and the provision of Zamzam water is also being ensured for the convenience of the visiting pilgrims.

  • New York: Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi plans to travel to New York to attend the session of the UN General Assembly, next month, the government’s spokesman said on Tuesday.

    The 77th session of the UN General Assembly will open on Tuesday, September 13 in New York.

    It will be Raisi’s second visit to New York to attend the largest international conference as he enters the second year of his presidency. Raisi started his work in August 2021.

    “The preliminary planning has been done for the president’s attendance at the UN General Assembly session,” Ali Bahadori-Jahromi told a weekly press briefing.

    Raisi, who has been under US sanctions since November 2019, missed last year’s General Assembly because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A pre-recorded video of his address was played to the meeting instead.

    When Washington added his name to its blacklist of Iranian officials, Raisi was still judiciary chief. He became president in June 2021.

    The General Assembly opens in New York on September 13.

     

  • New Jersey: Yet another team has become the part of the much-publisized 2nd edition of the American Premier League (APL), the mega cricket event being held in Florida from December 19 till 31, 2022.

    The grand launch of the ‘Premium Canadians’ team was held in New Jersey, which was also attended by other team members.

    In the team launch event, Jay Mir said Today we are here for the celebrations of the launch of Premium Canadians franchise. Jay Mir said he is very thankful to Sohail Anjum for providing this beautiful facility, saying APL is growing day by day.

    A couple of weeks ago in the same location, we had four teams joined us, and now we have another team that has become part of the mega cricket event. Business owners and business executives are attending the APL.

    We are having our tournament in December 19 till 31 at an ICC approved cricket stadium in Florida, cricket lovers must visit to Florida and enjoy one of the best cricket shows in America, Said J Mir.

    To a query he said the APL’s price money is biggest one in the history of the US, which is 200 thousand dollars, that will be awarded to the tournament’s winning team and we planned to 18 camera production with DRS review system, he added.

    Members of the Premium Canadian Team management  participated in the event also official jersey was displayed on the stage. Gurpreet Walia said that he is with Jay Mir for the promotion of cricket in America.

    English team owner Victoria Morgan and Premium Packs’ Muhammad Ali hailed the new teams joining the APL while Northlands owner Sohail Anjum speaking at the event called cricket a game that connects hearts.

    Social personality Sam Khan also participated in the event, he said that the history of cricket in America is incomplete without Jay Mir.

    There was also a dance performance at the Team Premium Canadians launch which was highly appreciated by the audience and being Considered as Success League.

  • New York: The United States (U.S) led by Joe Biden administration has expressed its readiness to resume the process to allow Pakistan International Airlines’ direct access to the US. 

    It was informed by Salman Sufi, The Head of Prime Minister of Pakistan’s Strategic Reforms on Twitter.

    Analysts told Vosa TV that the development, if materialized, will further deepen bilateral relations, and connectivity, besides easing the travel woes of thousands of passengers from both friendly countries.

    “As part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s reforms, Direct flight access to the U.S market is pivotal for trade, Pakistan’s businesses & passengers. In a meeting held with senior US officials, U.S was pleased to share the readiness to resume the process to allow Pakistan direct flight access.” Salman Sufi told Twitter on July 28.

    It is pertinent to note that Pakistan has been the frontline ally of U.S in the years’ long Afghan War and has rendered hundreds of Thousands of lives in the US-led war against the global terrorism.  Both countries have been enjoying closed relations for the last seven decades. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there were 554,202 U.S. residents of Pakistani descent living in the United States in 2019. This shows that US is one of the most favorite destinations for Pakistanis.

    According to Pakistan Embassy US, the Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms unit briefed US media on PM vision for strategic reforms & a roadmap to strengthen bilateral relations  with focus on tech, finance, economic, health, startups, climate change, energy &people to people contacts.

    Salman Sufi met with US high-ranking officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of South and Central Asia Elizabeth Horst at the US Department of State, according to Geo News.

    “The US side conveyed its readiness to have technical discussions with Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant departments and undertaking necessary visits for resumption of direct flights,” said a statement

    According to The News International, Sufi while alking to the media on Thursday after his meetings with the White House National Security Council director Courtney Dunn and Direct International Economic Affairs, NSC, said his talks covered wide-ranging issues, including resumption of PIA direct flights to the US.

    For the purpose, he also had a meeting with a delegation of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA), where he stressed to expedite the process for resumption of PIA direct flights from Pakistan to the United States.

    He noted that New Islamabad Airport was well equipped as per international standards to meet the TSA’s requirements.

    Sufi told the media that the US side conveyed its readiness to have technical discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant departments and undertake necessary visits for resumption of direct flights.

    Express Tribune reported while quoting the FAA official website, “A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. This rating allows air carriers from that country to establish service to the United States and to carry the code of US carriers through codesharing arrangements.”

    However, “Air carriers from countries with Category 2 ratings are not allowed to initiate new service to the United States, are restricted to current levels of existing service to the United States, and are not permitted to carry the code of US carriers on any flights. Currently, no airlines operate regularly scheduled flights between Pakistan and the United States.”

     

    In 2020, Reuters had reported that Pakistan’s air safety rating was downgraded after the FAA raised concerns about pilot certifications.

    Earlier in 2017, similar concerns about the country’s aviation safety were raised thereby resulting in an end to direct flights from Pakistan.

    While in March 2019 the US had assured Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) of facilitating in carrying direct flights to the three major cities, including New York, Chicago and Houston.

    However, in July of the same year, the US had stated that there had been no imminent plans for direct flights between Pakistan and the United States.

     

  • New York: Public health emergency has been declared in New York City in order to stem the currently fast growing cases of monkeypox.

    The move from the NYC authorities came on Saturday with an aim to boost measures to help slow the spread of the disease as the city is considered to be the epicenter of the monkeypox outbreak.

    Mayor Eric Adams and Dr. Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the city’s health and mental hygiene department were quoted by CNN as saying: “We estimate that approximately 150,000 New Yorkers may currently be at risk for monkeypox exposure,”

    “We will continue to work with our federal partners to secure more [vaccine] doses as soon as they become available,” Adams and Vasan said in the statement.

    “This outbreak must be met with urgency, action and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment.”

    “This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment.”

    “More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement, addressing the emergency declaration.

    The World Health Organization’s director declared the virus a global health emergency late last week.

    As of Wednesday, over 20,000 cases of monkeypox had been detected globally in 77 countries. The U.S. currently has about 4,600 reported cases, USA TODAY reported.

    As per the Guardian, the once-rare disease has been established in parts of central and west Africa for decades but was not known to spark large outbreaks beyond the continent or to spread widely among people until May, when authorities detected dozens of epidemics in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

    To date, there have been more than 22,000 monkeypox cases reported in nearly 80 countries since May, with about 75 suspected deaths in Africa, mostly in Nigeria and Congo.

    On Friday, Brazil and Spain reported deaths linked to monkeypox, the first reported outside Africa. Spain reported a second monkeypox death on Saturday.

     

     

  • New York: Former American first lady and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has endorsed Pakistani American Dr. Asif Mehmood, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Congress, and urged people to vote for him.

    Hillary Clinton urged the American people to make Dr. Asif successful in the mid-term elections.

    Well-known Pakistani-American businessman Khawar Baig organized a grand fund-raising event for Pakistani-American Dr. Asif Mehmood, the Democratic candidate for Congress from California’s District 40.

    Chicago entrepreneur Naveed Anwar hosted and welcomed all the guests on their arrival.

    On this occasion, Hillary Clinton, the special guest, said that Dr. Asif Mahmood is her very good friend and she has known him for two decades, the election of such a person as a member of Congress will definitely be in the interest of the American people.

    In response to a question, Hillary Clinton said that the governments keep coming and going, the relations between Pakistan and the American people are stronger and more stable today than before.

    On this occasion, Congress candidate Dr. Asif Mehmood said that Hillary Clinton’s endorsement of him as a member of Congress is the biggest support so far.

    Political and business figures from across the US participated in the grand fundraising event. The participants fully supported Dr. Asif Mahmood and assured him of making him successful in the mid-term elections.

    Pakistani American were not only very happy to see Hillary Clinton’s support to Dr. Asif Mahmood, but they also got the courage and encouragement that Dr. Asif will definitely be elected as a member of Congress in the mid-term elections.

  • New York: The United States (US) economy has shrunk for the second quarter in a row, as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped an annualized 0.9 percent in April to June period, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

    While consumer spending slowed on decrease in merchandise outlays, Bloomberg reported.

    The decades-high inflation undercut consumer spending and Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes stymied businesses and housing.

    GDP fell at a 0.9% annualized rate after a 1.6% decline in the first three months of the year, the Commerce Department’s preliminary estimate showed Thursday. Personal consumption, the biggest part of the economy, rose at a 1% pace, a deceleration from the prior period.

    This week, ahead of the data from the Commerce Department, he told reporters that the economy was “not going to be in a recession”. That prompted his opponents in the Republican party to accuse the White House of trying to redefine the term. “White House recession ‘rebrand’ won’t reduce Americans’ suffering,” they said.

    BBC quoted Harvard professor Jeffrey Frankel previously served on the National Bureau of Economic Research committee, the group of academics that is charged with making the official declaration of recession that he did not think a recession started at the beginning of the year, noting the strong jobs growth. But after that he was less confident. “Things have already slowed down, so I’m not saying that everything is great,” he said. “Odds of a recession going forward are substantially higher than for a random year.”

    Inflation in the US hit 9.1% in June, the fastest pace of price appreciation in more than four decades.

    On Wednesday, the US central bank responded to the problem with another unusually large increase to its key interest rate, its second 0.75 percentage point rise since it started raising rates in March.

    Meanwhile, APP added that the report comes at a critical time. Consumers and businesses have been struggling under the weight of punishing inflation and higher borrowing costs.

    The Fed is hoping to achieve a notoriously difficult “soft landing”: An economic slowdown that manages to rein in rocketing prices without triggering a recession.

    Apart from the United States, the global economy as a whole is also grappling with high inflation and weakening growth, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent energy and food prices soaring. Europe, highly dependent on Russian natural gas, appears especially vulnerable to a recession.

     

     

  • New York: Pakistan and United States (US) have reached an agreement for the promotion of futsal and the organization of bilateral competitions as the American team is visiting Pakistan this year in November to play a three-match bilateral series.

    Futsal is an association football-based game played on a hard court smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors.

    The American team will visit Pakistan in November this year

    Officials of USA Futsal Federation and Pakistan Futsal Federation met in New York.

    The federations of the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the promotion of futsal in their respective countries.

    USA Futsal Federation President Mark Edward Brown has expressed his willingness to send his national team to Pakistan in the last week of November this year.

    According to the agreement, a three-match series will be played between the US and Pakistan teams.

    On this occasion, President of Pakistan Futsal Federation Hazrat Ali, Secretary General Malik Adnan and Secretary General of USA Futsal Federation Usman Ashfaq also participated in this meeting.

    The leaders of the Pakistani and American federations said that bilateral competitions will give the game of futsal a boost, and to attract the new generation towards this game.

  • New Jersey: Like Previous years, the Pakistan Day Parade New Jersey is going to organize a grand Pak Day Parade (PDP) in New Jersey, United States (US) in connection with Pakistan’s Independence Day, this year, with great enthusiasm.

    The program will be held in the famous Papaianni Park in Edison, New Jersey on August 21st at 3 pm, where famous Pakistani singers will entertain the audience at the musical concert.

    Stalls will be set up to attract children. Traditional Pakistani clothes and foodstuff will also be showcased.

    Thousands of people, mostly Pakistanis attend the PDP each year with national zest and fervor.

    The administration of Pakistan Day Parade New Jersey held a meeting to finalize the program, in which members including the chief organizer participated.

     

    While the parade site was also inspected, where Sam Khan and others discussed improving the program.

     

  • New York: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has predicted in a report that approximately 80 percent of Americans will choose cremation of their loved ones after death, instead of burial by 2035.

    In 1877, the first cremation company was opened in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, and its creator and operator were heavily criticized by the Catholic Church at that time.

    According to data from the Cremation Association of America, from 1876 to 1970, only 5 percent of Americans chose cremation. However, in 2020, more than 56 percent of Americans chose this method due to the increasing costs of funerals and burials in the United States.

    All these costs vary from state to state. According to the World Population Survey, families spend an average of more than US$8,000 on funerals in the US.

    In the state of Mississippi, this cost is about six and a half thousand dollars, while in the state of Hawaii; this cost is a little less than $15,000. While in New York these costs can go up to 10 thousand dollars. If this cost is compared with cremation, then it costs 1000 to 2000 dollars.

    An element of the trend toward cremation is that there has been a decline in people’s connections with religious institutions. As a result, people are moving away from cemeteries. In 2021, only 47 percent of Americans went to places of worship such as Churches or mosques compared to the 1999 figure.

  • New York: The ShowFest is brining yet another grand Bollywood festival in New Jersey, United States (US) on September 3 wherein famed Indian musicians will headline the Live concert. 

    The Bollywood singers of the world of music including Yo Yo Honey Singh will demonstrate the magic of their voice at the New Jersey’s PNC Bank Art Center on September 3.

     

    Atique Sheikh has been kind enough to bring the acclaimed Indian singers in the live concert under the banner of Showfest.

    Indian rapper and pop star Yo Yo Honey Singh along with Harsh Deep Kaur, Richa Sharma, Raj Pandit, DJ Akbar Sami, Master Saleem, Sulaiman, Hommie Dilliwala and Alfaaz will perform at the Music Festival at New Jersey’s PNC Bank Art Center on September 3.

     

    The music lovers can book seats with immediate effect to watch their live performance of the their favorite music stars from South Asia.

    This post was originally published on VOSA.