Pakistan Independence Day celebration in Maine Township
The Pakistani American community in Maine Township commemorated the annual Pakistan Independence Day celebration on Sunday, Aug. 18, for the third year in a row. People from all walks of life came together to attend.
Asif Malik and Care and Cure hosted the celebration. The event's emcee was Kamran Khan. There was a performance of Talawat-e-Quran by Syed Abdan Ullah. The main attraction of the celebration for Pakistan Independence Day was the ceremony.
The Maine Township observance of Independence Day was held in Dee Park, but comparable ceremonies and events with an independence theme are held in all of America's major cities.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office arrived on stage and participated in the festivities. Chief Brad Curry, second in command, addressed the crowd on behalf of Sheriff Tom Dart. Social activist Salman Aftab provided a stage introduction for each individual.
During the anthem ceremony at 6 p.m., local leaders and elected authorities came together to celebrate. The major visitor was Pakistan's general consul Tariq Karim. The national anthems of Pakistan and America heralded the inauguration of the ceremony. Saeed Ali, Pakistan's deputy consul general, was also present at the celebration.
Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski and Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney, Asif Malik, James Maher, Kimberly Jones, Susan Moylan Krey, Peter Gialamas, and Supervisor Karen J. Dimond were just a handful of the numerous members of Maine Township who attended. Many other state and local officials attended the ceremony, including Glendale Heights Mayor Chaudhry Asif Khokhar and state Rep. Michelle Mussman.
Naveed Anwar, a Pakistani American business owner, served as the event's chair. He stated in his speech that “We should be involved in American politics to help Pakistan and the Pakistani American community in the USA.”
Tariq Karim, the Consul General of Pakistan and the event's administrator, delivered the keynote speech.
One of the excellent speeches of the evening was delivered by Asif Malik. He stated, “Today is a wonderful day to celebrate Pakistan's Independence. Humans are given freedom by God. We should recognize the importance of freedom.”
Speaking at the ceremony were a number of elected legislators, including state Rep. Mussman.
In his remarks on Independence Day, Consul General Tariq Karim acknowledged the historical significance of the event while extending his warmest congratulations to the Pakistani American community. He stated that Pakistan had overcome many challenges to achieve several noteworthy achievements over the previous 77 years. Pakistan's strategic location, demographic dividend, market size, richness of natural and human resources, growing tech ecosystem and investment-friendly rules, he emphasized, make it a key global economic hub, transportation hub, and investment destination. Furthermore, he underscored Pakistan's allure as a vacation spot with an abundance of tourist attractions.
The much-awaited concert by the great singer from Pakistan, Malkoo and Sara Altaf began when every seat was taken. Approximately 5,000 people attended. The weather was surprisingly cooperative despite being warm. Assisted by the gentle folk and patriotic songs of Pakistan sung by both foreign and indigenous artists. The crowd went into a frenzy as live performances of Malkoo and Sara Altaf, along with a few young individuals joining in with Pakistani flags and ethnic dance motions, helped the day's festivities come to a happy end.
Renowned American businessman of Pakistani descent, Muhammad Ali, sent the 300 green and white balloons into the sky.
With lovely music, dancing and performances, Youth of Chicago carried on the celebration.