Muhammad Saeed Sheikh was honored by Mayor Sylvester Turner at the Houston City Council.

Muhammad Saeed Sheikh was honored by Mayor Sylvester Turner at the Houston City Council.

By: Raja Zahid Khanzada

Houston, Texas: Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of the Houston Karachi Sister City Association, was honored by Mayor Sylvester Turner at the Houston City Council in recognition of his outstanding three decades of community service and for receiving the Sister Cities International “Volunteer of the Year Award”.

The Volunteer of the Year Annual Award honors an exemplary volunteer chosen from over 138 countries across six continents for their contributions to the sister city movement. It recognizes the leadership and talent that benefit local sister city programs and the larger sister city network.

During the Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 13th, 2023, Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed his appreciation for the remarkable work of Mr. Sheikh, which he has witnessed over the past eight years. He also extended his sincerest congratulations to Mr. Sheikh on behalf of the people of Houston for his selection as the Sister Cities International (SCI) “Volunteer of the Year” and presented him with the award. Mayor Turner added that this accolade from SCI is a strong recognition of Mr. Sheikh’s outstanding work in advancing the goals and mission of the Sister Cities movement and the principles of citizen diplomacy. Mr. Sheikh’s leadership of the Houston Karachi Sister City Association, organization of the Houston Iftar, and his range of humanitarian initiatives, including the efforts during COVID-19 and Pakistan Floods Relief Efforts, reflect great credit on him, the Sister Cities program, and all of Houston.

Present on the occasion was Consul General Muhammad Aftab Chaudhry of Pakistan, who also expressed his congratulations to Muhammad Saeed Sheikh for this distinguished award and acknowledgment by the City of Houston. He further stated that he was already aware of Mr. Sheikh’s passion and dedication in serving the community and today he is pleased to witness and feel proud to see the mainstream engagement of the Pakistani American Diaspora.

Nomi Husain, Chair of the Mayor’s AAPI Advisory Board, also extended his heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Sheikh and quoted his grandmother, saying, “Those who have been given much, there is much more expected of them.” He lauded Mr. Sheikh’s 30-plus years of community service and the numerous awards he has received.

In his appreciation remarks, Mr. Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of the Houston Karachi Sister City Association, thanked Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City Council for the recognition and support. He further stated, “I am grateful to Almighty God for enabling me to serve the community and humanity around the globe.” He also expressed his gratitude to Sister Cities International for the honor of receiving this award. He acknowledged Mayor Sylvester Turner for his leadership, service, and dedication in bringing diversity, inclusivity, and unity to the Houston community.

Furthermore, Muhammad Saeed Sheikh thanked Chief Patron Syed Javaid Anwar for his generous support and friendship. He thanked everyone who has been part of his journey, from his family to friends, the Consulate General of Pakistan, the Mayor’s Office of Trade & International Affairs, Sister Cities of Houston, and all the team members involved in the various efforts Mr. Sheikh has coordinated, including the Houston Karachi Sister City Association, Alliance for Disaster Relief, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, the Houston Iftar, and community media.

Others who graced the occasion with their presence were Ilyas Hasan Choudry, Director of Development of Helping Hand for Relief and Development, Nasr Khan, Director of HKSCA, Siraj Narsi of HKSCA, and Mehmood Ahmed of AFDR.