NEW YORK CITY: A busy avenue in New York’s Brooklyn borough has been named after Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The Pakistani-American Youth Organisation (PAYO) announced the decision on the occasion of the founding father’s birthday on December 25.
The change was implemented through a resolution and will affect a designated part of the Coney Island avenue where the Pak-American community is concentrated, said PAYO President Waqil Ahmed.
The resolution, tabled by a city council member Jumaane Williams from Brooklyn, was adopted by a majority vote. “We are delighted over the council’s decision, which meets our long-standing demand,” said Ahmed.
It is a gift to the Pakistani-American community here as well as to the people of Pakistan, he added.
He elaborated that PAYO members had worked for years for official recognition of the Pakistani community as the area around Coney Island Avenue is informally known as ‘Little Pakistan’.
“We are overjoyed that our efforts succeeded,” he said, explaining the strenuous procedures PAYO members had to undergo.
An official ceremony marking the inauguration of ‘Mohammad Ali Jinnah Way’ is expected next month.
