Tag: new jersey

  • Woman of Pakistani origin elected as mayor of New Jersey

    Woman of Pakistani origin elected as mayor of New Jersey

    Fauzia Janjua has become the first Muslim and Pakistani-American to take oath for the office of the mayor of New Jersey. She took an oath of her new responsibility on the Holy Quran alongside her husband and children at Township Hall.

    Fauzia’s father Idris belongs to Chakwal while her mother is from Lahore. Her father migrated to the US, where she was born, in the 1970s. She opted for community service and is imparting education to poor children and prisoners. With her election, the position of mayor has gone to Democrats for the first time in 36 years. Before her election, the mayor slot was always held by a Republican representative.

    In the speech she gave on the historic occasion, Fauzia Janjua described her election as the first Muslim lady of Pakistan origin as a moment of pride, reports The News.

    New Jersey State Representative, Carol Murphy, wrote on X: “It is such a great honour to administer the oaths of office tonight in Mount Laurel. It was extremely special to celebrate my dear friends — Mayor Fozia Janjua (1st Muslim & South Asian Mayor in township history) & Deputy Mayor Nik Moustakas on this historic occasion.”

    Her election came about just days after when the Imam of a local mosque was shot dead.

  • Imam shot dead outside mosque in New Jersey, suspect still at large

    Imam shot dead outside mosque in New Jersey, suspect still at large

    An imam who was shot Wednesday outside a mosque in New Jersey has died, the US state’s attorney general said, adding that the killing did not initially appear to be driven by “bias” or domestic terrorism.

    The shooting was reported at Masjid Muhammad-Newark at South Orange Avenue.

    Imam Hassan Sharif was shot multiple times near a mosque in Newark, just west of New York, before being taken to hospital where he later died, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said.

    “We do not yet know the motivation for this crime (but) the evidence collected thus far does not indicate that this was an act motivated by bias, or an act of domestic terrorism,” said Platkin.

    He added that “in light of global events, and with a rise in bias that many communities are experiencing across our state — particularly the Muslim community — there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear.”

    The state is home to 300,000 Muslim Americans, he said.

    Since the outbreak of the War on Gaza, there has been an increase in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic attacks across the United States.

    The Essex County prosecutor, Ted Stephens, confirmed Sharif was shot more than once, and that “it does not appear the imam was the victim of a bias crime or that this is related to terrorism.”

    “We are dedicated to bringing justice for the imam’s family,” said Stephens, who called it a “dastardly crime.”

    Famous Muslim scholar Dr. Omar Suleiman posted about the death of the Imam and paid tribute to him as a beloved Imam of the Newark Community.

    The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) earlier confirmed that Sharif had worked as a security screener at Newark airport since 2016.

    “We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and send our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” said Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman.

    Images published by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) showed police vehicles deployed outside the Masjid Muhammad-Newark, a two-story yellow and green complex.

    In a statement, CAIR described Sharif as “a beacon of leadership and excellence.”

    “As always, and irrespective of this specific incident, we advise all mosques to keep their doors open but remain cautious, especially given the recent spike in anti-Muslim bigotry,” the organization said.