Doubts of Muslim mayor of London

London’s British Muslim Mayor of Pakistani origin, Mr. Sadiq Khan, has said in a recent interview: “I am being targeted for a racist campaign because I am of Pakistani origin and a Muslim.” My rival politicians in London are scaring voters by saying that I am Pakistani and Muslim, so vote carefully. Mainstream politicians in London are campaigning against me. They are trying (unsuccessfully) to scare non-Muslims away from Muslims by spreading negative and poisonous propaganda. “

53-year-old Mr. Sadiq Khan has been serving as the dignified mayor of London, a city with a population of one crore, for the past eight years. He has been twice elected Mayor of the powerful, prosperous and world-renowned city of London and now aspires to be elected for the third time. Eight years ago (in 2016), when Mr. Sadiq Khan was elected the Mayor of London for the first time, all of us Pakistanis were filled with joy and happiness.

Although we Pakistanis, as a whole, have nothing to do with Sadiq Khan’s personality, ideals, politics and power. But since Pakistani blood circulates in his veins, we were all happy for his success. Six years ago, the government of Pakistan awarded him the “Star of Distinction” medal. Sadiq Khan defeated Zach Goldsmith, a wealthy British Jew.

It should be noted that Zach Goldsmith is the relative brother of our Imran Khan. Mr. Imran Khan was seen supporting Zach Goldsmith on the occasion of the mayoral election in London.

Four days later, on 2 May 2024, the London Mayoral election is being held. The candidate of Labor Party is Sadiq Khan, while Susan Hall of Conservative Party is standing against him. Zoe Garnett of the Green Party, Rob Blackie of the Liberal Democrat Party, Howard Cox of the Reform Party, Amy Gallagher of the Social Democrat Party, Nick Scanlon of the Burton First Party, Femi Emin of the Animal Welfare Party and Brian Rose of the London Real Party, plus four independents. Candidates are also in the field.

The Mayor of London is a wonderful and powerful position. London’s police, transport, housing, planning, economic development, arts, culture and the environment are the basic and major urban areas he is responsible for. That is, the lives of London citizens revolve around the decisions and services of the London mayor.

About 14 lakh Muslims live in London. And there are more than one and a half thousand mosques in London. According to a report of the British newspaper “Daily Telegraph”: 450 new mosques have been built in London during the last two years. These London Muslims and mosques are Mr. Sadiq Khan’s strength. Although many non-Muslim Londoners are also his voters. Mr. Sadiq Khan was born in a professional family. His father, Amanullah Khan, was a bus driver in London and his mother, Sahiba Darzan. Sadiq Khan had eight siblings and the family’s income was low, so Sadiq Khan himself worked as a laborer in his early youth, along with education.

He is proud of his hard-working family. It is a strange coercion of history and circumstances that today the mayor of London is a Muslim of Pakistani origin, while the Prime Minister of the entire United Kingdom is a Hindu of Indian origin (Rishi Sonik). The surprising thing is that as a Muslim, Sadiq Khan Sahib is being heard to complain, as a Hindu, Rishi Sonak is not being heard. So does this mean that Sadiq Khan is deliberately using the victim card to be elected London mayor for the third time?

We Pakistanis are also amazing creatures. We are satisfied and happy in Pakistan and not in Britain. Hugs have become our second habit. In Britain and America, we continue to sing the tune of “Islamophobia” when the fact is that there are more religious, socio-political and economic freedoms in Britain and America than in Pakistan. We also need British and American citizenships. Still, our worries do not subside. Since the blood of a Pakistani runs in Mr. Sadiq Khan’s veins too, instinctively he is also sighing with doubts.

He should be thankful to Allah that his father migrated from Pakistan to Great Britain and Sadiq Khan also got the opportunity of higher education in law and he continued to climb the ladder of advancement in London through hard work, political services and a fair environment. He was elected mayor twice. Can a bus driver and the son of a dozen in Pakistan ever dare to dream that he will be elected as the mayor of such cosmopolitan cities as Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad?

There is no denying that Mr. Sadiq Khan is facing many dangers in London. He was also threatened with alleged murder. Extremist Muslims in London are very angry with Sadiq Khan because of why Sadiq Khan supported the law made in favor of homosexuals. They allegedly threatened Sadiq Khan on their behalf. He himself admits that the death threats he received affected his mental health immensely.

Due to his election as Mayor of London twice, many local and international political opponents have also been created for him. Opposition Conservative Party member Lee Anderson accused Sadiq Khan: “He has come under the control of violent Islamists.” His mayoral rival, Susan Hall, yesterday accused him of political misconduct. A fake advertisement was also released against Sadiq Khan while demonstrating. And when Sadiq Khan threatened to take her to court, Susan Hall immediately deleted the ad on social media.

Remember a few years ago, there was an exchange of harsh words between the American President, Donald Trump, and Sadiq Khan. And when Trump said in one of his statements that “Muslims should be banned from coming to America”, then Sadiq Khan condemned it and called the American president a “senseless person”. It had increased so much that Trump even said that “When I come on a visit to London, Sadiq Khan should not be present at my reception.” This is not a new thing. This is what happens in the war of politics and power.

Sadiq Khan should blunt the tactics and tactics of his opponents with courage and bravery, as before. His services to one crore residents of London city are outstanding. On 26 April 2024, he defeated his opponent, Susan Hall, in the TV debate. May Allah bless him with success in the mayoral election battle for the third time. All our prayers are with them.