Houstonian Corner (V12-I24)

Positive Youth Participation at the Annual Dinner of Pakistani-American Association of Greater Houston

Pakistani-American Association Of Greater Houston (PAGH) Life Time Achievement Award For Humanitarian Services Given To Dr. Kashif Ansari By His Wife – Khalid Khan President Of PAGH Can Also Be Seen…

Young Amna Mian, daughter of  Mian Mohammed Nazeer (one of the best volunteers in the Houstonian Pakistani community and office bearer of Pakistani-American Society of Greater Houston – PAGH) and Amad Waheed, son of Asif Waheed (office bearer of PAGH), were the proficient emcees at the annual dinner of PAGH on June 04, 2010 at Pakistan Center, where at the end of dinner and awards ceremony, Amjad Sabri Qawal and Group enthralled the large gathering for hours with devotional poetry. Everyone not only appreciated the performance of Amjad Sabri Qawal & Group, but highly praised the confident manner in which Amna Mian and Amad Waheed conducted the affairs on the stage. It was a very good decision by PAGH Executives under the leadership of Khalid Khan to give this opportunity to the young ones, who should also be involved in devising other community services projects.

Another distinctive part of the evening was giving away of three special and most deserving awards; including Community Service Honor to Mohammad Iqbal Badat (Vice-President of PAGH and member of Islamic Circle of North America ICNA); Life-Time Achievement Award to Dr. Hameed Qureshi for serving the humanity in the field of diagnostic and cure of diseases like TB; and Humanitarian Award to Dr. Kashif Ansari, who through his Omair-Sana Foundation has brought most positive change in the lives of thousands of children and families in Pakistan. Dr. Ansari said whatever he is today is because of Allah SWT, his mother and wife. His mother sold her personal wedding jewelry so that he could study. He said Omair-Sana is in the names of his children, who died due to cancer and whatever Allah SWT has given him, he tries his best to give as much as possible back to the children of the world for their health, sustenance and education.

Several community figures spoke on the occasion. Ghulam Mohammad Bombaywala said we need to encourage our Youth in positive activities and pay special attention to our surroundings to avoid radicalism coming into our community & society and said this is what he has recently promoted on the mainstream American media and in organizing community meetings with FBI.

Consul General of Pakistan Aqil Nadeem said this may be his last annual dinner of PAGH as his tenure (if not extended) is going to end soon. He said as compared to previous years, there were less activities arranged by PAGH. He said Pakistan Center is underutilized and that there is need to organize monthly if not weekly community health clinics, as a service to the community, who is reeling during these hard economic times.

Khalid Khan, President of PAGH, thanked all the sponsors, media and all those who gathered. He showed frustration about the fact that people come to functions late, which creates problems for the organizers’ to properly serve food and manage the affairs of the events. He appealed people to come on time in all the future events. He applauded the Golden Club (Seniors) of PAGH for being most active and regularly arranging constructive programs. He said people may have disagreements with leadership of PAGH, but it does not mean that they cannot serve the Pakistani and the community at-large by using the Pakistan Center in a positive manner: People should come forward and discuss such matters of community interest with PAGH office bearers, to deliver the best. He said this will be his last year as PAGH President.

For more information, one can call 1-713-922-8456.

Famous Physician Dr. Adnan Aslam Invited for Dinner Ghazali Education Trust Team

Renowned cardiovascular diseases physician Dr. Adnan Aslam invited the team of Ghazali Education Trust for dinner at Lazzeza Restaurant this past Friday. Prominent among the attendees’ were Ghazali Education Trust (GET) Pakistan Founding Members Syed Waqqas Anjum Jaffry & Aamir Mahmood Cheema; Houston Rep. of GET Muhammad Ahmad; and U.S. South Central Region Coordinator for Helping Hand for Relief & Development (HHRD-USA) ILyas Hasan Choudry.

Syed Waqqas Anjum Jaffry & Aamir Mahmood Cheema in their presentations informed that started in the year 1997 and now with 320 schools, more than 37,000 students and 1,700 teachers, Ghazali Education Trust (GET) is the largest Rural Education Institution of Pakistan. It has developed its own government approved high-class curriculum from kindergarten till class eighth (around 120 titles), which cannot be found elsewhere in the Muslim world. Secondly GET has developed a unique teachers’ training program, to enhance the standard of education. After being in Azad Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, this year after summer holidays, GET will enter into Baluchistan with four schools. About 70% of the funds for GET are self-generated in Pakistan through the system of fees for those who can afford and philanthropist in Pakistan; while 30% of the funds are generated across the globe by Pakistanis, especially for the 18,000 plus orphan students. 

Syed Waqqas Anjum Jaffry & Aamir Mahmood Cheema thanked people like Dr. Adnan Aslam for supporting the efforts to bring quality education in rural Pakistan, so that ignorance can be removed and then through that bringing enlightenment, so that more and more people can positively contribute to the society in Pakistan and humanity worldwide.

For more information about Ghazali Education Trust, one can call Muhammad Ahmad 1-832-366-3351, or visit http://www.GET.Org.PK/