Dear Members and Friends,
Assalam o Alaikum and Ramadan Mubarak in advance.
I am pleased to advise you that in accordance with PAGB Constitution, a three-person Election Commission has been appointed to conduct the election of Board Members for the term 2022-2024.
The following Board Members have kindly accepted our request to be part of the Election Commission:
  • Hasan Usmani             husmani@axim.com,
  • Malik Masood Khan   maleksaheb@gmail.com, 
  • Nahid Shafi Malik       naheed25@hotmail.com, 
We remain in gratitude to them to accept the appointment and to be a part of this process.
Following this 90-day Constitutional notice, the elections will take place on  Saturday, June 25th 2022 at the Social Hall of ICB Wayland. Time and other info will follow.
Please note that, according to PAGB's Constitution:
  • Only regular paid members of the Association, with at least 4 weeks standing, are eligible for voting and nominating candidates for the new Board.
  • Only regular paid members for a continued period of at least one year prior to the election date and of continued good standing, are eligible to serve as a Board Member of the Association.
  • They should be educated to at least Bachelor’s degree level from an accredited college or university. 
  • Possess demonstrated experience of serving on a registered non-profit Board or have a proven record of being actively involved in social and community service
Members can send their nominations directly by email to the three Members of the Election Commission, providing the credentials of the candidates they are nominating.
We look forward to your active participation in the election process and encourage the younger members to step forward and continue the vision and work of the previous Boards, over the 30+ years.
I get my strength from you all and thank you for your love, support and attention, always.
On behalf of the Board,


Siraj Khan
President
PAGB

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Dear Members, Friends and the American-Pakistani community at large,
Final reminder for coming Saturday. Please be our guests for that evening.

Annual General Body Meeting - Pakistan Day
Sat. March 26, 2022 - 7-9 pm on Zoom
Ambassador's flag-hoisting
Message from the Ambassador
President's Report 
Financial Report
Director Membership's Report 
Prof. Akbar S. Ahmed speaks on Jinnah - The Movie
Zaheer Ali : 75 years of Pakistan - From Bleeding to Healing
Macy Hopkinson, CO  : Building bridges with Pakistan
Sohair Omar, CT : APWEE's focus on Afghan-Pak women's issues 
Malik Eice Muhammad Khatana : Legal Views
Entertainment: Tahir Iftekhar, RI 
Announcements of forthcoming events, including Elections on June 25th
Closing remarks and vote of thanks
9.00 pm - End
    
On Behalf of the Board.
Siraj Khan
President
                          

ZOOM LINK: Tahir Ali is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89588197420?pwd=d2ZwSUNuVTZTN1lNa0JJM1ZUNVhqdz09
Meeting ID: 895 8819 7420
Passcode: 289335


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APPNE in collaboration with PAGB and SIGNET Education is organizing a free seminar  Preparing for College Admissions on the sidelines of their annual meeting 2022.
Target audience: High School Children and their parents
Get practical guidance about what the college process entails, how students can strengthen their application profiles and get the most out of their education, and other concerns like testing, extracurriculars etc. 
Cotillion Room, Boxboro Regency Hotel
242 Adams Place, Boxborough, MA 01719
Saturday, May 14th, 2022,  4:45pm – 6:00pm
Limited seating capacity. Tickets required for entry. 
Association of Pakistani Physicians of New England (APPNE)


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PAGB is a proud Supporter 







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PAGB presents
Date: May 20th, 2022
With things opening up and looking better by the day, an opportunity presents itself for hosting a Qawwali evening in Boston. Fareed Ayaz and Humnawa have been the most popular Qawwals of Pakistan at least for the last 10 years. Led by two lead singers/qawwals, the qawwali group will be using traditional instruments such as the harmonium, tabla, dholak and sarangi. Your hand clapping would add to the rhythmic structure. Come join us at the event celebrating our religious devotion and a sense of spiritual closeness to God.


1. Address
Yusra Event Center 
45 Oak Street Westborough MA 01581 
2. Ticket price (with food)
Member           $40 
Non-Member  $50
Kids under-18 $25
Kids under 5   Free (but under parents responsibility)
3. Timing 
8.00 - 11 pm
(Program will start after prayer and dinner)


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February 24, 2022
Dear Respected Members and the American-Pakistani community at large,
Assalam 0 Alaikum
We are pleased to announce that PAGB's Annual General Body Meeting is being convened on March 26, 2022 from  7 pm  to  9 pm.  Although restrictions on in-person meetings are easing out, but they are not expected to terminate, we will be meeting on Zoom.
Our detailed program isn't completely finalized yet, but the Agenda would not be far from the following:
1. Flag hoisting.
2. Ambassador's message from DC to the PAGB community. 
3. President's Report.
4. Treasurer's Report.
5. Message from Director of Membership.
6. Message from Moneeza Hashmi, LAC/Alhamra, Lahore.
7. Talk by Prof. Akbar S. Ahmed from Washington DC.
8. Announcing two post-Ramadan events in May 2022.
9. Entertainment by Tahir Iftekhar
Looking forward to everyone's presence - Members as well as potential Members.
On behalf of the PAGB Board, 
Siraj Khan
President 
ZOOM LINK: 
Tahir Ali is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: PAGB's Annual General Body Meeting March 26, 2022
Time: Mar 26, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89588197420?pwd=d2ZwSUNuVTZTN1lNa0JJM1ZUNVhqdz09
Meeting ID: 895 8819 7420
Passcode: 289335

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Dear Members, Friends and Pakistan-American community at large,
I am delighted to inform you that Lahore Arts Council/AlHamra and Pakistan Association of Greater Boston have signed an MOU on February 6th, 2022 to collaborate and mutually promote Pakistani art and cultural endeavors through musical, dramatic and literary activities, including concerts, seminars, talks, workshops, publications, and other programs.
Now look who has put an invisible seal on this arrangement! As we are all aware, Lata Mangeshkar left on her final journey also on February 6th, leaving behind her incredible musical legacy for us. Two articles featuring the diva, one released by the Faiz family and the other penned by yours truly have been published by Aman ki Asha at the same time today, Friday February 11, 2022, that too just two days before the legendary poet's birth anniversary. 
Yes, you could call it a coincidence, but I believe there is some spiritual connection in this unfolding of happenings. You can read both the articles with the same link.


Siraj Khan,
President
Pakistan Association of Greater Boston

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Dear Respected Members and the American-Pakistani community at large:

Assalam o Alaykum

As we enter a new month for the year 2022, we hope and pray that you are navigating well in these unprecedented times of continued uncertainty and anxiety. We also hope that everyone reading this message and their family members of age 5+  are by now fully vaccinated. I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to update you on what is happening around us.
 
At a Board meeting on January 26, 2022 we decided on the following matters:

1. According to the PAGB Constitution, the elections are expected to be held around March 23rd of every even-numbered year.  However, as we took office in June 2020, combined with the present pandemic landscape being where it is, we were advised by some senior members of our Membership to extend our term to June 2022. Hopefully, things will be better by then and we can hand-over to the new Board in better circumstances. The Election Commission would be appointed and the exact date will
be advised in March. However, please note that only paid members in good standing will be allowed to vote and also nominate candidates for the new Board.

2. We will still hold the Annual General Body Meeting on March 26th. Please mark the date on your calendars and stay tuned for details to follow. It will, most likely, again be held on the Zoom platform.

3. Several individuals have approached PAGB in context with supporting / sponsoring Afghan refugee families, who have arrived a few weeks back in the middle of winter. There are two fund-raising events being held in February. Donations are being accepted and should you be receptive to supporting them, you can kindly send your contributions to PAGB for safe onward transfer. We have also approached MCSS in this context and hope to collaborate with them in this humanitarian effort.

4. Let me also share some more good news. A Memorandum of Understanding between PAGB and Lahore Arts Council (AlHamra) is being finalized to promote artistic and cultural collaboration, between Boston and Lahore.

5. Please also allow me to inform you that the current memberships will expire on March 23rd, 2022. You are kindly reminded to renew your annual memberships by that date. We have found that many memberships lapsed in the past two COVID years, as they were not renewed, despite our reminders. Its time to get things regularized. Doing it online through pagb.org is the easiest,
quickest and also painless option, but checks are always acceptable and can be be mailed to:

PAGB
10 Atherton Road
Hudson MA 01749

Thank you for your time and attention.
On behalf of the Board,

Siraj Khan
President
PAGB
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IN SUPPORT OF AFGHANI  REFUGEES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

image.png
Here is a summary of two upcoming events I will be part of, followed by two ways to make donations.  
I cannot express much. Your generosity overwhelms me and the group as well.  
Best,
Joanne
TWO UPCOMING EVENTS
-February 2nd 6:30 PM Zoom hosted in Huddle Up: Women in Action
-Joanne Morris will be one of the presenters and discussing our efforts with the Afghan family. 
 Link to information:  WOMEN IN ACTION HUDDLE   Please attend and share with your contacts.
-February 6th at 7PM the Screening Room is showing the new documentary FLEE which portrays a young Afghan refugee (shortlisted for Academy Award).  Joanne Morris will be introducing the film and holding a Q&A with the audience after the film as part of a fund-raiser for our Afghan family.  
Here is the link to the event to share:   FLEE
  • Write your check to the West Newbury Congregational Church.  Note “Afghan Resettlement Funds” on the memo line and mail it directly to the church at PO Box 176, West Newbury, MA 01985.
Go to bit.ly/WNnstgiving 

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