Pakistani-Canadians in Montreal celebrate independence with diversity walk
Posted August 14, 2022 6:15 pm.
Last Updated August 31, 2022 11:05 am.
Pakistan’s independence was celebrated in Montreal on Sunday with a diversity walk and celebration at Parc Eugène-Dostie in Île Bizard.
“I just love meeting our community here and gathering all together and to celebrate our country,” said Nikita Razzak.
Pakistan gained its independence and became a sovereign nation 75 years ago when British rule officially ended Aug. 14, 1947.
“It’s a mark that’s in history,” said Humza Chaudhry. “It means a lot to everybody, all the struggles that our people went through for us to have a better life, a free country today, so it means everything.
READ MORE: Pakistan Independence Day Diversity Walk
There are more than 13,000 Pakistani-Canadians in Montreal.
“Firstly, it’s a milestone: 75 years of independence, 75 years of being a sovereign nation,” said Sadia Sajid or the Canadian Pakistan Affiliated Chamber of Trade (CPACT), the event organizers. “So that is very important so that’s why we did this today.
“People are enjoying, they’re having a fun day and they’re feeling right at home. And that was the main objective of this event.”
CityNews asked festival goers what being Pakistani meant to them.
“Well I’ve been here for the last 30 years and the only thing I miss: being here in Canada and my parents are in Pakistan,” said Hayee Bokhari, the co-founder of CPACT. “So Pakistan is like my motherland, so that’s why we call it motherland.
That is my home country. And even though my kids are born here, my family is here, we miss Pakistan.”
“It’s a pride,” said Chaudhry. “It’s bringing home right back where we are here just to enjoy good food, good times with fellow Pakistanis as well as share a culture. It’s not only us here, it’s everybody.”
“It’s even more special because the past two years that we’ve had with COVID, we’re finally able to gather and things are starting to get back to normal,” added Razzak.
