Members of the Pakistani community in the US applauded President Joe Biden’s decision to reinstate the White House Eid event and hailed it as a positive step in the face of Islamophobia.
Influential Pakistani-Americans, including Pakistani-American Democrats Dr. Asif Mehmood, Tahir Javed, Chairman of the American-Pakistani Public Affairs Committee Dr. Ijaz Ahmad, Gold Star Father Khizr Khan, and US federal judge Zahid Qureshi, attended the event, which was held in person years after former president Donald Trump halted the celebrations.
Around 400 guests, including Muslim members of Congress, diplomats, politicians, and religious leaders attended the reception, along with US Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
Dr. Asif and Dr. Ijaz met with US Vice President Harris at the reception and praised the Biden administration for planning the Eid reception.
“It has been a tradition in the White House that the president invites the Muslim community on Eid and Iftar,” Dr. Ijaz said.
Dr. Asif claimed in an interview with a private media channel that he had useful discussions with President Biden and Vice President Harris during a brief meeting after the reception.
He bemoaned the fact that previous President Trump had reneged on this custom and barred residents of six Muslim-majority nations from entering the US, raising concerns within the community.
President Biden promised to reinstate the custom of celebrating the Muslim holiday at the White House while speaking to the audience at the reception. Almost all of the event was held last year due to COVID-19.
