Mosques in the UK fulfilling our religious needs for which they need community funds, but our young generation also has other needs as well
Interview: Wajahat Ali Khan,
Newly elected Mayor of London Borough of Hounslow Lord Mayor Afzaal Kiani is a bright character and philanthropic personality, he belongs to the Labour Party and has been doing excellent service in British politics for the last ten years. Two weeks ago, on May 23rd, 2023, he took the oath of Lord Mayor of Hounslow, “Aims International” conducted a detailed interview with him for the interest of its readers, the details are available to the readers.
Mr Afzaal Kayani has said that he became a councillor for the first time in 2018 and my daughter Hina Kiani was also elected as a councillor in the same election, and she is still a councillor in the same borough. He said that in 2022 I was re-elected as a councillor. I also had the honour of being a member of the council’s licensing committee in my first tenure, in addition to being chair of the “Housing and Environment Scrutiny Committee” for two years and vice-chair for one year. Lord Mayor Afzaal Kiani also has the honour that on his election for the Mayorship the Conservative Party did not field a candidate against him, this may be because the Tory Party thought that he would be able to do these services. That’s why Mr Kiani can say that I had also support of the Conservative Party! Answering the questions of Aims, he said that the impression that I have not been elected is wrong, so the explanation is that every party must select one person from among themselves, nominates a petitioner which is the discretion of the Leader of the Opposition, so I am also nominated by the majority members. This process is long but this time the process was not very long so there is no special law in this regard. The Lord Mayor said, when we apply to be mayor, a full biodata of the applicant is taken, it is asked to name a charity that is creating a service that you are satisfied with. So, I gave the name “Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust” there, so now this institution is my official charity, so whenever and wherever “Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust” I will go there, they also can publish my photos officially for their functions. While discussing the problems of Hounslow borough, he said, there are the small and big problems here, but the biggest problem of Hounslow Council is facing the lack of funds from the central government. For this reason, sometimes the council tax and other taxes forced to be increased by the council, but still, I would say the central government might has its own procedure.
Answering a question, Lord Mayor Afzaal Kiani has said that Pakistanis living in Britain should be aware of their country’s politics but should not participate in Pakistan’s politics in practice. It is necessary for us and our young generation that they take an active part in British politics so we, as a community can put our affairs directly before the government. Mayor Kiani said that the Mosques
in the UK fulfilling our religious needs for which they need community funds, but our young generation also has other needs as well. unfortunately, we have lack of welfare organizations which can support other needs of our community. So that the council can help them financially in this matter and there are dozens of other funds from which such organizations can receive. While talking, he said that at present I have no intention of contesting the election for Member of Parliament because right now I want to serve the community in my current capacity. He said that I am currently the governor of several schools and the honorary marriage registrar from the council, while our friends Shafique ur Rehman, Zubair Awan are also the honorary registrars, the Hounslow Council has given us the authority to conduct Islamic marriages in the mosque & English marriage can be registered.
The Lord Mayor further said that the Labour Party has a strong hold in Hounslow Borough, so today there are 52 Labour Councillors out of a total of 62 councillors in this Borough. Looking at them and the mood of the public, it seems that the Labour Party may be able to form central government in the next general elections. Mr Mayor said I think British Asians are also more attracted to the Labour Party and therefore feel more comfortable with Labour.
