California State Senate Unanimously Passes Historic Resolution Celebrating Pakistan-U.S. Relations And Diaspora Contributions
Pakistan’s Envoy Engages California Lawmakers Following Historic State Senate Resolution
Sacramento, California August 11, 2026
The California State Senate unanimously passed a historic resolution celebrating the enduring relationship between Pakistan and the United States, while recognizing the significant contributions of the Pakistani-American diaspora to California’s economy, culture, and social fabric.
Presented by Senator Melissa Hurtado, the resolution highlighted the pivotal role played by Pakistani-Americans in California and commended their achievements across diverse fields. It urged all Californians to join in celebrating the friendly relations between the two nations.
Council of Pakistan, led by Dr. Imran Sharief, made important efforts for passage of the resolution.
Expressing his gratitude, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, praised Senator Hurtado for her leadership. Ambassador Sheikh reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening people-to-people ties and building on the current positive trajectory of Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relations.
California State Assembly also resolved to promote relations between Pakistan and the State of California. The Assembly resolved to promote the contributions of Pakistani-American businesses and investors in advancing economic cooperation between Pakistan and California. The Assembly recognized and acknowledged the achievements of Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh in promoting bilateral ties between the two nations. These pronouncements were made by Assemblymember Matt Haney.
The resolution’s passage coincided with an official visit by Ambassador Sheikh to California, during which he interacted with state lawmakers to strengthen economic and political engagement.
In a meeting with Senator Eloise Gomez, Ambassador Sheikh discussed opportunities to expand trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. Senator Gomez commended Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace and stability. During the meeting, Ambassador Sheikh extended an official invitation to Senator Gomez to visit Pakistan.
Ambassador Sheikh also hosted a working lunch for Assemblymember Matt Haney and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva. Discussions focused on key aspects of bilateral cooperation, with the Ambassador extending invitations to both legislators to visit Pakistan to further enhance bilateral collaboration across key sectors.
