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03-05-2023
WASHINGTON: Praising United States President Joe Biden’s decision to restore Eid reception at the White House, members of the Pakistani community in the US termed the occasion as a positive message in the age of Islamophobia.
The event, held in-person years after former president Donald Trump stopped the celebrations, was attended by influential Pakistani-Americans including Pakistani-American Democrats Dr Asif Mehmood, Tahir Javed, American-Pakistani Public Affairs Committee Chairman Dr Ijaz Ahmad, Gold Star Father Khizr Khan and US federal judge Zahid Qureshi.
Attendees of the reception also included US Vice President (VP) Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and around 400 attendees comprising Muslim members of the Congress, diplomatic, political and religious personalities.
During the reception Dr Asif and Dr Ijaz met with US VP Harris and thanked the Biden administration for organizing the Eid reception.
Speaking to Geo News after the reception, Dr Asif said he had constructive discussions in a short meeting with President Biden and VP Harris.
“It has been a tradition in the White House that the president invites the Muslim community on Eid and Iftar,” Dr Ijaz told media.
He lamented that former president Trump had abandoned this tradition and banned citizens from six Muslim countries from coming to the US, causing concern among the community.
“Unlike Donald Trump, President Biden has invited 400 people from all over the US to the White House and participated in the festivities. At the same time, Joe Biden has lifted Trump’s ban on citizens of Muslim countries, which proves that he wants to engage the Muslim community for which the community is grateful to the Biden administration,” he added.
Javed said that the reception was a very good symbolic message from President Biden. He said that the president spoke well about Ramadan and Eid, and also praised the efforts of Muslim and Pakistani Americans.
Addressing his guests at the reception, President Biden spoke about his promise to bring back the tradition of marking the Muslim holiday at the president’s abode. The event was held virtually last year due to COVID-19.
“We have to acknowledge that an awful lot of work remains to be done, abroad and here at home. Muslims make our nation stronger every single day, even as they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia,” the US president said. (Int’l News Desk)
