Number of American-Pakistanis, Muslims part of NYC mayor-elect Mamdani’s transition team

New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has included a number of American-Pakistanis in his transition team. However, Transition co-chair Lina Khan has so far refused to join Mamdani’s upcoming administration.

According to sources, Lina Khan has cited personal reasons to excuse herself from joining mayor-elect when he takes oath of office next month.

Lina Khan is widely considered a legal scholar. She had worked as Federal Trade Commission chair under then president Biden and served as counsel to the US House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law. Professor Lina also teaches at Columbia Law School.

On the other hand, American-Pakistani criminal lawyer Ali Najmi is the point man of the mayor-elect. Zohran Mamdani calls him “brother”.

During a recent event held in New York by American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee Chairman Dr Ijaz Ahmad, Zohran Mamdani repeatedly praised Ali Najmi.

As a matter of fact, Najmi had acted as Mamdani’s election attorney. Thanks to this American-Pakistani lawyer, Mamdani bagged the required petition signatures in time.

And, ten years ago, it was Najmi’s bid for New York City Council when Zohran Mamdani first knocked doors in a campaign. Now, Ali Najmi is the eye and ear of Mamdani, who is busy filling up important portfolios.

Mamdani has formed 17 committees and appointed more than four hundred personalities as advisers.

A number of South Asians, including Pakistanis and Muslim New Yorkers of Middle Eastern and African background, are given positions in these committees.

This step is in tune with Mamdani’s campaign promise that his administration and transition team will ‘’reflect all of New York.’

For instance, 33-member Committee on Arts & Culture comprises Filmmaker Suroosh Alvi, who was born in Canada to Pakistani parents. The family had later moved to New York. Others include Shamim Momin, Curator Jenna Hamed, Ruba Katrib and Hiba Abid.

22-member Committee on Community Organising includes Waleed Shahid, Sherif Ahmed, Ibrahim Ahmed and Abdul Aziz.

The Committee on Community Safety has 27 members. Here, prominent names include Hassan Naveed and Shamsul Haq.

Yasser Salem’s name shines in the twenty-member Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Development.

The 19-member Committee on Government Operations have Faiza Ali, Aliya Latif, Zara Nasir and Shafeka Hashash. While, 25-member Committee on Health has Tahir Amin and Musab Khan.

25-member Committee on Immigrant Justice has Fahd Ahmed, Farihah Akthar, Imam Shamsi Ali, Mohamed Amin, Murad Awawdeh, Yasmine Farhang, Emira Habiby and Marwa Janini.

20-member Committee on Legal Affairs include Sania Khan, Seher Khawaja, Shaifuli Puri, Afaf Nasher, Tahanie Aboushi and Ramzi Kassem.

20-member Committee on Small Businesses includes Afzal Ali Ansari, Imran Pasha, Shah Rehman, Arman Chowdhury, Mohamed Attia and Youssef Mubarez.

32-member Committee on Social Services includes Erum Hanif and Dania Darwish. And, 20-member Committee on Technology has Sara Aoun as advisor.

33-member Committee on Transportation, Climate, & Infrastructure has Sara Lind while 24-member Committee on Worker Justice has Kazi Fouzia, Mohammed Karim Chowdhury and Chaumtoli Huq.

In addition to that, 39-member Committee on Youth & Education has Tazin Azad, Zakiyah Shaakir Ansari and Hannah Towfeik.

However, 22-member Committee on the Criminal Legal System, 14-member Committee on Emergency Response and 27-member Committee on Housing don’t have any Muslim member.

Needless to mention that Mamadani has tried his best to accommodate people of various ethnicities and religious backgrounds. His advisers not only include Muslims but also Christians and Jews, to mention a few.