K 296: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 14, 2025, as Pakistan Independence Day in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 296 BY: M. of A. Rajkumar MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 14, 2025, as Pakistan Independence Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of the community of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 14, 2025, as Pakistan Independence Day in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is an ally of this great State and Nation, sharing deep economic, social, and cultural ties; and WHEREAS, August 14 is a national holiday in Pakistan, commemorating the day in 1947 when British Viceroy and Governor-General of India Louis Mountbatten ceremonially transferred power to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, ending centuries of British rule; and WHEREAS, The transfer of sovereignty was the culmination of a decades-long Pakistan Movement for independence, with one of its most famed leaders being Jinnah, who is regarded as the Founder of Pakistan; and WHEREAS, The Pakistan Movement had a profound impact around the world, inspiring multiple other independence movements; and WHEREAS, New York City has a deep history of celebrating Pakistan's independence, hosting the annual Pakistan Independence Day Parade and Festival, the largest celebration of its kind in North America, along with multiple other celebrations across the city; and WHEREAS, The United States is home to the largest Pakistani diaspora population in the Western Hemisphere, with over half a million people of Pakistani descent; and WHEREAS, Pakistanis have a long history in America, beginning in the nineteenth century with people coming in large numbers from what is now Pakistan to work as laborers, followed by another major wave of immigration starting in the 1960s, when the United States reformed immigration policy; and WHEREAS, Pakistani Americans have made immeasurable contributions to the arts, the STEM fields, business, philanthropy, academics, defense, sports, religion, and government; and WHEREAS, There is a strong desire to foster a mutually beneficial, bilateral relationship between New York State and Pakistan; and WHEREAS, Pakistani Americans contribute to all facets of life in New York City, home to about 50,000 people of Pakistani descent, living predominantly in Brooklyn and Queens; and WHEREAS, Pakistani American New Yorkers have left an indelible impression on their city, having increased in number by about 70 percent in the last decade, with the Pakistani national language of Urdu being one of the most commonly-spoken in the city; and WHEREAS, The Pakistani American population on Long Island has also increased exponentially over the last decade; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic pride and exemplify the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the fabric of the people and the State of New York; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 14, 2025, as Pakistan Independence Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York; Consul General of Pakistan, and various Pakistani organizations in the State of New York.