Dear Respected Community Members,

On September 22nd, 2006 in an interview aired on CTV, Honourable MP and Defense Critic, Ujjal Dosanjh stated that ‘Pakistan was harbouring terrorists.’ An unfounded statement of this nature coming from a respected elected official, in any context, is wrong. As Pakistani-Canadians it is our duty to defend the integrity of Canada and Pakistan. This comment, from a Pakistani point of view, demonstrated a blatant disregard for the sacrifices made by Pakistan and its Armed Forces in the fight against terror.

As an association it was our duty to hold Mr. Dosanjh accountable for his words and to arrange a meeting with him and the Pakistani community where a discussion could take place and answers found. An apology for what are indeed unfounded comments was expected at this meeting but Mr. Dosanjh refused to meet with the greater community on any level except for a closed door meeting with a few representatives. Having refused this offer to meet with Mr. Dosanjh under these circumstances Mr. Dosanjh chose to appear on Radio India on October 8th from 8 am to 10 am for an interview on this topic. PCA having not been officially invited to attend this interview did not take part; instead an informal meeting between representatives of PCA and PCCA took place to discuss how to approach this situation. It was agreed that General Secretaries from both organizations, Mr. Tarik Kiani and Mr. Tanveer Chaudhry respectively, would call in to question Mr. Dosanjh. After much debate Mr. Dosanjh concluded the interview with an apology to the Pakistani community for his comments.

We would like to thank Mr. Dosanjh for his apology and for addressing an issue that struck the sensitivities of all Pakistanis. We would like to also thank the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association of BC for standing with us and taking a joint stand on this issue. As Pakistanis we must never be afraid to stand up for what we believe and we must take advantage of the political system we are so fortunate to enjoy in Canada.

Sincerely,

Raza Mirani
President
Pakistan-Canada Association

One year ago today Pakistan was struck by one of the most devestating earthquakes in recent history. Countless lives were lost and an infinite number of people affected. Let us all prey during this month of Ramadaan for those that lost their lives and the families they left behind.

As another year comes to an end for the current executive of Pakistan-Canada Association I feel the need to reflect upon the journey we have just been through. Two clear goals were set before us this year: give the younger members of our community a voice and establish a mainstream presence for the Pakistani community. The establishment of our Youth Committee and launch of our first youth-oriented boat cruise achieved our first goal and our involvement with the HSBC Run for the Cure in October, partnership with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, seat on the Commonwealth Associations of the Lower Mainland and participation in the First Annual Multicultural Festival set our second goal in motion. More work needs to be done on both fronts but the foundation has been laid for the next executive to follow.

I am also proud of the quality of event we were able to organize for you this year. Our summer picnic was a huge success and followed up by a sold out Independence Day with Junooni Salman Ahmed.

Of course the focus of our year quickly shifted on October 8th with the devastating earthquake in Northern Pakistan. An unprecedented level of media attention and outpouring of support and generosity bombarded this association. This was completely unchartered territory for us but we knew that the responsibility was ours to organize the local effort and assist our fellow Pakistanis. We faced obstacles and learned many lessons during the course of our fundraising efforts but carried on with determination, honesty and purpose.. I can’t thank enough all those people that volunteered their time, money, and belongings. We continue to pray for those that lost their lives and we pray for those still facing hardships. Even though our official fundraising efforts have come to an end the need for supplies and money will be ongoing for years to come. Please visit our website to find out how you can help.

And now it is time for this President to sign-off. A new executive will be elected on April 30th and a new year will begin for this association. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve my community for the past 4 years and the past year as its President. Much has been accomplished in that time and much still needs to be done. We still
face a divide in our community that unfortunately could not be bridged under this President’s term. Our youth have been given a voice but they need to be encouraged instead of discouraged.. They need to be made part of the solution and not the problem. Mainstream Canadians now know who we are.. We must now allow them to forget and we must continue to forge positive relationships in the self-interest of Lower Mainland Pakistanis. Only by moving beyond our limits, daring to challenge ourselves and take risks can we expect to achieve our goals and aspirations, whether it be a community center or political office we must look beyond what we have already achieved. I would like to thank all my executives and trustees for their hard work and commitment this year. It has been an honor gentlemen. All the best to the new PCA board.

With Respect,

Raza Mirani
President
E-mail: info@pakcan.com

Dear Fellow Pakistanis,

Pakistan-Canada Association has been in existence since 1963 serving the needs of the Pakistani community of the Lower Mainland. In that time a great deal has been accomplished thanks to the hard work and dedication of the pioneers of our community. In 2005 I find myself being blessed with the position of President of this fine organization. Much has been accomplished in the past and much has yet to be accomplished.

The face of our community is constantly changing with the additions of newly born generations of Pakistani-Canadians, new immigrants and individuals who have been here since shortly after partition. With our population soaring above 20,000 the needs and demands have definitely escalated. On the flip side, with growing numbers comes great potential and influence. I see a community ready to explode, in a good way. It is time for us to step out of the shadows and establish a clear identity for ourselves. With the world political spotlight on Pakistan and the thirst for knowledge about our country and people at a high in this post 9-11 era what better opportunity than now to move forward.
It is in this spirit that I extend my hand in cooperation and friendship to any and all individuals who wish to see our community move forward. With our combined efforts we can achieve so much more than we can by working on the fringes.

Politically we have an obligation to vote and be counted. Regardless of what party you find yourself supporting, going out and voting is a great privilege and responsibility. It is time to groom individuals in our community wanting to seek public office and provide them a platform to showcase their skills and articulate their beliefs. Having a Pakistani in Municipal, Provincial or Federal office should be a goal we set for ourselves. PCA annually organizes speech contests that allow individuals the opportunity to speak in public thereby gaining confidence and poise. This year our contest will be held on August 21st at Grand Taj Banquet Hall. The topic for this years contest will be posted on our association website in the coming days.

We must continue to educate our youth about Pakistan, especially those born into Canadian society. It won’t take long for our unique language and culture to be lost as generations continue to be born without ties to their homeland. So many of our youth find themselves disconnected and it is for this reason that I have established a Youth Sub-Committee to bring younger members into the association and give them a voice so their concerns and ideas can be heard. It is the mandate of this committee to promote youth involvement in the community. Anyone interested in being part of this committee can contact Mansur Mirani or Imran Gehlen at info@pakcan.com.

I also believe it is the joint responsibility of the community and association to provide opportunities to educate our youth so they don’t forget the sacrifices made in order to establish our homeland. To promote this awareness PCA has organized Knowledge Exams during the summer months to encourage school aged children to learn about their country and culture. We continue to offer this service to the community this year with our exam date set for Sunday August 21st at 11:00 am in Vancouver Jamia Masjid. Questionnaires can be downloaded from our website at www.pakcan.com.

We will continue to organize picnics and celebrate Independence and Republic Day along with Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha but we are now looking beyond the box to a loftier goal. What opened my eyes to this possibility was the incredible success of our Tsunami fundraising campaign. Granted the outpouring of support worldwide was phenomenal and an event of this magnitude had not been seen in our lifetime, nevertheless I still found the response of our community to be unprecedented and truthfully surprising. The campaign started out modestly with people on my e-mail list being asked to help support this cause. In three days $5000 had been raised. By the end of the three week campaign we had managed to raise just under $20,000. We though outside of the box and worked together as a community; putting aside personal disagreements for a common good. What other goals can we achieve?

I along with my distinguished board of executives have chosen to work for this community. With the help and support of those around me change can be effected in a community so desperately seeking change. I ask for the support of all members of the community to make your voices and opinions known. At the end of this letter you will find my e-mail address and cell phone number… I am open to your comments and criticism. I ask you to support our community events and come up and talk to the executives of the association and make your feelings known. Let us know what direction you feel this association should be moving in. Become a member and have a more definitive say in the workings of the PCA by attending AGMs or seeking a position on the board. I can say with confidence that we have already set a few initiatives in motion that, if and when they come to fruition, will solidify our footprint upon the landscape of the Lower Mainland and British Columbia. This is an exciting time and a pivotal point in our short history in this province. I thank you for the trust you have placed in me and my board and I look forward to serving you this year.

With Respect,

Raza Mirani
President
E-mail: info@pakcan.com