Coverage by Syed Zafar Hussain
CG Stephen Smith Lucy Turnbull Nick Kaldas
CG Azam Mohammed Kashif Amjad Ejaz Khan Dr. Shaukat Javed
Friday 2nd February 2007 marked the first
time a U.S Consul General to Sydney has addressed an event for Australian
Pakistani Muslims. The exclusive event was organised by Slimtel's Managing
Director, Kashif Amjad, and was held at Crowne Plaza Norwest with cooperation of
the Pakistan Australia Association.
Among other guests were Consul General Pakistan Azam Mohammed, Dr Akram Hassan,
Dr Farooq Wasti President Pakistan Medical Association Australia, Mohammad Asif
Manager Habib Finance Australia, Dr Aman Ullah Khan, Dr M. Amjad, Hafiz Shahid
Vice President Pakistan Association, Mehdi Juddani Director Best & Less Travel
Parramatta, Sadaqat Siddiq from Cheetha Securities, Umar Ghani cultural
secretary Pakistan Association and Syed Zafar Hussain Editor in Chief
Sada-e-Watan Sydney. Dr Shaukat Javed was the Master of Ceremony. He is an
excellent debater as every one knows. He amused the guest with his skills of
holding such kind of ceremonies.
A variety of notable speakers also addressed the intimate gathering: Nick Kaldas
(Assistant Police Commissioner of NSW); Lucy Turnbull (Commissioner on the
Commonwealth Commission on Respect and Understanding), and Azam Mohammed
(Pakistan Consul General to Sydney).
Ejaz Khan President PAA welcomed guests and introduced Nick Kaldas. He
highlighted his carrier achievements and feelings about Pakistani Australian
community. Nick Kaldas touched on important issues such as the role of police
integrating with the local community and working closely with various religious,
ethnic, and community groups to assist them in preventing violent
activity. Other issues that were discussed were lessons learnt from the Cronulla
riots, ways to avoid similar situations, and how we all as a broader Australian
community should deal with terrorism.
Mr. Kashif Amjad official spokesman PAA introduced Mr. Smith with the community,
it has to be noted that this dinner was Mr. Kashif Amjad’s initiative.
The chief guest for the evening, U.S Consul-General Stephen T. Smith, decided to
accept the invitation to address the gathering following a luncheon for U.S
Ambassador HE Robert D. McCallum, where The Ambassador was asked by Kashif about
the United States' relationship with the moderate Muslim world and what they
were doing to rectify it. Kashif introduced
Consul General Smith as the key note speaker with his impressive biography.
Consul General Smith talked about the relationship between the U.S and Pakistan,
Australia and the U.S and the parallel that could be drawn. He also spoke about
Muslims in the U.S and the differences in ethnicities, which also included
profiles of various Muslim groups. Pakistani Doctors Association in North
America was given as an example. Discrimination was also discussed to the extent
where the U.S has now set up a complaint service at the Consulate here in
Australia, if a person is mishandled at the American airport. US Consul-General
Smith talked on a lighter note of the many cricket clubs in New York. Concluding
his address, the Consul-General explained how various religions besides Islam
use criminal activities such as terrorism to justify their cause for political
or financial gain. Consul-General Smith already had Sada-e-Watan’s previous
article.
The significance of the dinner was that 10 people did not turn up after
accepting the invitation, because they wished to register their protest against
the US policies in Afghanistan and Iraq. PAA president Ejaz Khan conveyed this
to Mr. Smith who politely said that he is willing to meet these people any time
for discussion.
Lucy Turnbull, renowned businesswoman and former Lord Mayor of Sydney was also
kind enough to grace the occasion. Lucy spoke of her role as Commissioner on the
Commonwealth Commission into Respect and Understanding. This Commission was set
up following a request as an outcome of the last Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2005 and will present its findings at the 2007
CHOGM. Lucy has been working on this initiative which seeks to break down the
barriers of conflict and provide peaceful resolutions, and the Pakistani
community was privileged to be one of the first communities. She has contacted
as it is a fellow member of the Commonwealth. Lucy also handed out a survey to
audience members as well.
Finally Pakistan’s Consul General Azam Mohammed spoke on Islam, in a very
simplistic manner including the roots and meaning of Islam. He spoke at length
on how suicide bombing is not part of the religion, and how a few
fundamentalists tarnish the image of Muslims worldwide. Consul General Azam
delivered a key message that Islam is about following a book, The Quran, and
that one should gain meaning from it by the simplest rule of humanity- to each
his own- that is, the Quran cannot be instilled in others, but it gains meaning
by applying to the intensity of ones own life, faith and experiences.
Delicious dinner was served followed by dessert.
This is hopefully the start of many dialogues on resolving community issues not
just for Pakistanis or Muslims but all faiths and backgrounds living in
Australia.
Further Developments:
Amongst the great atmosphere of the dinner two good news stories already, with
one person willing now to travel to the United States after the US Consul
Generals speech on complaints on profiling at the airport, and one of the VIP
guests moved by the Pakistani Consul General speech they bought a Quran on the
weekend to read.
There are more dinners of this nature to come soon on various topics for which
discussions have already commenced which are going to be on a different platform
and set up. PAA has passed resolution to arrange such kind of functions
frequently to enhance our community profile and relation with outside world and
mainstream Australian community.
