Mayor’s Charity Dinner

Guests at the Mayor’s Charity Dinner

Over 130 guests attended the Mayor’s Charity Dinner on Thursday (23 March).

The dinner was organised by the Pakistani Kashmiri Community Association (PKCA) and supported by the Pakistan Consulate in Manchester, Rochdale Council of Mosques, BME Health & Wellbeing, and Castlemere and Deeplish Community Centres.

Chairman of the PKCA, Mudassir Yasin, explained: “The dinner was about raising money for our Mayor’s nominated charities, and as it coincides with Pakistan Day (23 March). We also talked about its significance, as people often confuse it with Pakistan Independence Day. The 23 March is also known ‘Pakistan Resolution Day’, it is to commemorate the Lahore resolution of 23 March 1940 when the concept of Pakistan as a nation was actually conceived.

“In Rochdale, we all truly embrace and celebrate the diversity of all cultures, languages and food.”

He added: “I’d like to thank the PKCA Team, councillors, the Mayor and Mayoress, Shoaib Zafar, Inspector Andrew Riley from GMP, Rochdale Council of Mosques, the community and the whole Town Hall staff for their support and co-operation.”

Shahid Mohammed from the PKCA said: “The PKCA are delighted that the Mayor’s Charity Dinner was a huge success; it was fabulous to be hosting it in our amazing Town Hall.

“We were entertained throughout the evening with some brilliant Sufi music, great speeches, including from school pupil Aiza Rashid. Dr Abdul Shakoor kept us all entertained with his wit, Urdu poetry and occasional singing. The dinner was authentic Pakistani food which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.”