DESI SPOTTING: Three South Asian leaders push their agendas in Manhattan

India's minister commerce and industry, mayor of Karachi and Sri Lanka’s foreign minister were in New York City for separate events last Thursday, all co-sponsored by SAJA. While the mayor and the foreign minister were trying to rally American support for pressing issues back home, Kamal Nath, the commerce minister, a relentlessly upbeat India business booster, was reading from his book, "India's Century."

Thursday, May 8, 70th St & Park Avenue, circa 2 pm: Vishakha Desai, president of Asia Society; Kamal Nath, India's commerce minister; and Tunku Varadarajan, NYU business professor and moderator of the discussion. PHOTO: Jay Mandal/On Assignment

Syed Mustafa Kamal, Karachi’s 37-year-old mayor, touted Karachi as a modern city with a friendly population.  “We have to market Pakistan as a moderate Pakistan as a moderate Pakistan, and I have been doing that,” he said at the International Visitor Leadership Forum.

Calling Karachi the “backbone” of Pakistan, he said that investment in the city’s infrastructure and economy was vital. With a population of 18 million, Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and commercial center. “Pakistan’s development would be questioned without Karachi,” said Kamal.

He also stressed the moderate political views of citizens could be seen in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination on December 27 of last year.  While citizens have been captured and killed, “People to people, there is no clash,” he said. 

When asked about how terrorism and Islamic extremism factor into his plan to promote Karachi, he attempted to put Pakistan’s political situation in perspective.  “We are not living in an ideal world. It is a difficult thing, but we are progressing well,” he said, stressing that foreign investors should not let the political situation deter them from coming to Karachi.

Thursday, May 8, 53rd St & Fifth Avenue, circa 6:15 pm: Syed Mustafa Kamal, Karachi's mayor. PHOTO: Jay Mandal/On Assignment

A few minutes and a couple blocks away, at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Rohitha Bogollagama stressed the importance of the country keeping its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.  Sri Lanka is one of six countries competing for four available council seats.

After being questioned about Sri Lanka’s own record on human rights, Bogollagama said “We are confident that we will satisfy all concerned parties.”

“We leave the choice to the voters [on the committee.]  And we try to make the best bid," he added.  “Right now we are fairly optimistic that we will succeed.”

As for the ongoing conflict between the Tamil Tigers and Sinhalese government, the minister said "it is our duty as a sovereign state to clear terrorism from all parts of our country."

Thursday, May 8, 40th St and Third Avenue, circa 7 pm: Rohitha Bogollagama, foreign minister of Sri Lanka, talks to SAJA members. PHOTO: Jay Mandal/On Assignment

Additional links:
Karachi's Wikipedia page
Syed Mustafa Kamal's official biography
United Nations Human Rights Council

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