The Chairman of Democratic National Committee Governor Tim Kaine will meet members of Pakistani American community on June 30th. This is the first time in the history of Pakistani community's political activism that a DNC chairman will be holding an exclusive meeting with them. He is expected to listen to the community's problems and concerns and explain the ruling party's stance on different issues. Pakistani American Democratic Club (PADC) has played a key role in organizing the event but Club founder Ali Akbar Mirza says that it's going to be a community fundraising dinner for the Democratic Party, which will be held at the residence of Syed Sardar Akhtar, acting president of the Club.
Mirza appealed to the Pakistani-American community to fully participate in the fundraising for the Democratic Party. At a press conference on June 15, he commented that if Pakistani Americans did not join the political mainstream, they would not only fall behind other communities but also fail to get their community issues and concerns addressed by the government.
Pakistani-American political activists have been demanding inclusion of their community representatives in the Democratic Party's national committee. There have also been demands for creation of a Muslim National Democratic Committee to promote greater inclusion of Pakistanis and Muslims in the mainstream political process. Mirza said Pakistani Americans will put forward these demands during their meeting with the DNC chairman.
Sections of Pakistani-American community have also been pressing the Democratic leadership to bring a powerful challenger to defeat Peter King, the Republican Congressman from New York's congressional District 26. Mirza said the Pakistani-American community would not only support a strong Democratic challenger to the Republican incumbent this November, but also do extensive fundraising for the candidate's campaign.
Mirza said after Bobby Jindal's election as Louisiana Governor, another Indian American – Nikki Harry Hailey – was poised to become governor of South Carolina. "If an Indian American can reach the governor's mansion in such a short time, why can't a Pakistani American win public office"? he asked, adding that it was an aspiration for the community.
According to Mirza, who was recently appointed to the Democratic Party's finance committee for the tri-state area, Pakistani Americans have enough time to put forth strong candidates in the 2012 elections and will present a candidate in the 2013 New York City mayoral elections. He invited the community to make a strong show at the elections.
