Action for Pakistan Charity Dinner

The Mayor Ray Dutton speaking at the Mayor's Charity Dinner

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As part of the celebration of the 69th Independence Day of Pakistan, Action for Pakistan, International held a dinner on Sunday (14 August) at Castlemere Community Centre, Tweedale Street, Rochdale.

The Mayor Ray Dutton, Mayoress Elaine Dutton, Councillor Janet Emsley, other councillors, representatives of various organisations, members of the community and special guest Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton, attended the event.

The National Anthems of the UK and Pakistan were played by Afia Saeed before Ghulam Rasul Shahzad OBE, Chairman of the Association, recited verses of the Holy Qur'an and welcomed guests.

Mre Shahzad said: “Members of the Pakistani community raise funds for the Mayor's Charity every year. It is entirely sponsored by members of the Pakistan community and business and not funded by any other organisation.”

There were two presentations by Christine Mathewson, the Chair womanof Rochdale Environmental Action Group (REAG), about the contribution their members had made, and Gloria Chambers, a magistrate from Bury and Rochdale Court, about the role of magistrates in the community.

Members of the Association, Mohammad Azam, Tahir Bashir, Maryam Bano and Farzana Shaheen provided biographies of past leaders. They included founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima Jinnah, who supported her brother throughout the movement.

Biographies of philosopher Allama Iqbal, who gave the idea of a separate homeland, and the person who gave Pakistan its name, Chaudry Rahmat Ali, were also provided. Rahmat Ali took ‘P’ from Punjab, ‘A’ from the Afghan Border, ‘K’ from Kashmir, ‘S’ from Sindh and ‘tan’ from Baluchistan to form the Pakistan name.