Awards presented to Sahiwal Working Party

Sahiwal Working Party

Members of the Sahiwal Working Party were presented with shields and certificates by the Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale at Castlemere Community Centre on Saturday (23 March).

Since Sahiwal in north-east Pakistan was twinned with Rochdale in 1989, the Sahiwal Working Party has helped develop a number of life-changing projects to alleviate poverty and aid education, from disability and dental work to IT and social housing.

The awards were presented on Pakistan Day to those who had contributed to a number of projects in recognition of the Sahiwal Working Party’s valuable services.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/126129/rochdales-30year-link-with-a-city-in-pakistan

Shields were presented to the following:

• Councillor Sultan Ali – chairman and co-ordinator of youth development 
• Razia Shamim MBE – vice chair and co-ordinator of education project
• Ghulam Rasul Shahzad OBE – secretary & public relations officer, co-ordinator of training for councillors, staff and community training project
• Councillor Irene Davidson – treasurer
• Haroon Uddin – co-ordinator of free eye camp
• Dr. Abdul Rauf – co-ordinator of free eye camp
• Mohammad Munir – co-ordinator of police training project
• Nasir Ahmed – chair of Friends of Sahiwal
• Iftikhar Ahmed – member
• Saeed Ahmed Dar – member 

Certificates were presented to Elizabeth Babar, Tayyab Ali, Rashid Ahmed, Shamshad Ali, Nazam Suleman, Farhat Kazmi and Naeem Chohan.

Mr Shahzad said: “We are thankful to all who have supported these projects. This twinning has brought two towns and communities together, has created cohesion, created a sense of belonging to Rochdale and are learning from each other,

“We would like to organise a meeting of all twin towns committees to bring all communities together in the borough."