Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
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President PAA Ejaz Khan meets Minister of Immigration Chris Evans
On 12 December 2007 the
Department of Immigration and Citizenship invited community leaders to meet
in Sydney with
the Honourable Chris Evans newly appointed Minister for Immigration and
Citizenship. Honourable Laurie Ferguson Parliamentary Secretary for
Multicultural Affairs along with the state director Gavin McCain's, Assistant
State Director David Walsh, Director DIAC Parramatta Mr Houssay, Malavika
Asthana liaison officer of the Pakistani community and other senior officials
from the DIAC were present in their Parramatta office.
The Minister met African community leaders before arriving at the function to
hose down tension generated by the comments made by his predecessor Kevin
Andrews before the federal elections. The new Minister pledges to work with the
community leaders to ensure quality and speedy visa and settlement process. The
Minister said that he is originally elected Member form Perth and would be
unable to visit NSW frequently as required by his portfolio. Honourable Laurie
Ferguson would be filling him in if required and assist him in dealing with the
NSW community issues he added.
Ejaz Khan President
of Pakistan Association of Australia represent the Australian Pakistani
community and meet with the new Minister personally. The Minister discussed the
growing numbers of Pakistani living in New South Wales and had friendly chat
about cricket particularly performance of Pakistan Cricket team against
Australia. Ejaz assured him that Australian Pakistan community support
Australian cricket team when they are not playing against Pakistan, Minister
said its ok because he also support Welsh in Rugby. Ejaz also discuss issues
faced by our community while traveling overseas at the airport with the senior
officials of the DIAC and length of time the DIAC taking to process sponsoring
relatives form abroad.
The Department of Immigration holds this event every year near the Christmas
period to meet and greet various community leaders to establish good working
relations among the various communities.
