Hadia Tajik, the first Muslim member of the Norwegian cabinet, has been named as the culture minister.
Tajik is also the youngest in the cabinet.
The newly elected minister said that in future, multicultural values will become a part of Norway’s everyday life.
Tajik, of Pakistani origin, was elected as a member of the Norwegian parliament in 2009.
COMMENTS (71)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
This only proves that Pakistanis have a bright future if they live in the West.
So is Inidan PM.
What would have come of them had they stayed in Pakistan?
@Sudhar Jao: Yes, we are just waiting for a few more examples to follow. For instance, a Jewish President in the US and a Mozlum Defence minister in Israel.
@Sudhar Jao: Dear Sudhar Jao. You should know that a Hindu served as Chief Justice of Pakistan, and he was Rana Bhagwandas. He is the chairman of Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan. Pakistanis are quite open and straightforward in their national commitments and accommodating people of all religions and creed. Because Hindus are a minority, thus their representative cannot gain majority support to become a Prime Minister. Of course if some Hindu joins Pakistan Army, he can elevate to the highest ranks.
My regards to you.
It is great news of Hadia Tajik elevated as the Minister of Norwegian cabinet. She has a challenging task ahead. It is not fair to criticise on her appointment as she has to work in the larger interest of the people and government of Norway. We should wish her all the best in her future endeavours and we should hope that the trust the Prime Minister of Norway has reposed in her will not be shattered on any account.
Keep it up Hadia. Our prayers are with you. Gulzar Islamabad - Pakistan
Maybe in the future there will be more diversity in muslims countries with more North Latin and South Americans and maybe some Caribbeans as well. It will improve the culture of those places.
I dont think Europe should be ismalified. They should've elected a real Norwegian. Immigrants assimilate INTO a culture not change it.
29 and a cabinet minister? What am I doing with my life!
@Haven't lost my sanity....: Yes, you are 100% right .. !! We live in fools paradise. Whats so big about it .. if she is from Pakistani origin??? Point is that "will she be able to promote and fight for Pakistani ideology or not ... if need be? I am 1000% sure that she will pass her tenure to establish her self for future inductions. I am sure she will even deny to be of Pakistani origin not to jeopardize her status. May Allah give us strength to help all.
@HADI SAKEY:
Yes I know, I lived in Dubai & Qatar for 4 years, even as a British Pakistani I personally experienced & saw other muslims of non-arab heritage being treated third rate. Racism is rife in the middle kingdoms. Not that it appears any different in Pakistan.
"our country discriminates on the grounds of religion, take as an example, non muslim cannot be elected PM or president,,why?"
A non-Christian can't be elected President of the US, Prime Minister of the UK or israel.
Ms. Tadjik didn't become the Prime Minister of Norway, she is a Cultural Minister.
Julius Salik is a Christian member of Pakistan's Parliament, he challenged the ordinance of Gen Pervez Musharraf regime in Supreme Court of Pakistan. I highly doubt Ms. Tadjik will be able to speak unless spoken too let alone challenge any position the Norwegian goverment takes.
Zaid Hamid - Western countries will not roll back to your anachronistic idea of Khilifa and Khilafat. You keep on day dreaming that Muslims will become so outstanding and educated to become President, or Prime Minister of any Western Country.
She hardly knows Pakistan. She is neither aware of any Pakistani language nor Pakistani culture. She was born and brought up in Norway to a couple half Tajik/Uzbek and half Pakistani. She was born, raised and educated through out in her country of birth. So far she has neither visited Pakistan nor Uzbekistan/Tajkistan.
@Ali: That has happened quite a few times :P
@Maiwand: Firstly, Babur was an Uzbek from contemporary Uzbekistan and not Afghanistan. Please learn your history. Go and check. Secondly, Baba Ahmad Shah Abdali was born in Multan. Multan is in Pakistan (Pakistani Punjab) and is buried in Kandahar. Have you seen the map of Durrani Empire? It includes ALL of Afghanistan and ALL of Pakistan, including Kashmir. Please check on Google. Thirdly, Sultan Shahab-ud-Din Mohammad Ghori was born in Ghor, Afghanistan but do you know where he is buried? In Jhelum, which is in Pakistan. Please check again. Finally, do you the difference between Baba Ahmad Shah Abdali and Sultan Ghori? They fought in the name of Allah for Muslims and you fight against Muslims in the name of ethnicity. I am a Pakistani Pashtun and love Afghanistan as all Pakistani Pashtuns and even a lot of non-Pashtun Pakistanis do but people like you need to be condemned. And if you find anything wrong with the info above, please inform.
@Zaid Hamid: We shall never allow that
@Amin Sardar: lol you are making up stuff. Her family basically from Bannu. Her grandad worked closely with British and even converted to Christianity. That led to advancement in the colonial administration but also their being disowned and shunned by their extended family. The family migrated abroad many years ago.
Congratulations to Norway & its people!!!!
Dear western world,
Congratulations and thanks to you for this gesture which is oh so normal for you but in a way huge for Pakistan. Keep doing good things in building your nation, one day Pakistan shall also understand how important is the concept of Inclusiveness for nation building.
All the best.
@Sami:
Do you really know the number of Indians on Obama's team?
She is half Pakistani and half Tajik. Never mind, She is a Minister of the Cabinet. This miracle cannot happen in Saudi Arabia or any Gulf countries. I know the reason - They are still living in a cocoon and cannot accept any body other than Arabs that too thorough bred Saudi, Rashidi, Sabahi, Aal Nahyaan or Qaboos.
@Pakistani Muslim:
".....they have the audacity..." Have you ever had the audacity to dare think that @Zaid Hamid is not only being sarcastic but parodying some (in)famous person?
@Maiwand: Dude drink a glass of water and take a chill pill. By the way, Abdalis = Pashtuns and there are more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. Therefore, we Pakistani Pashtuns have a right to own up to our history, you Afghans need to stop your narrow minded thinking.
@Zaid Hamid:
Such arrogance! This is what is bringing the Muslims down. Their own countries are full of corrupt leaders and they have no tolerance for non-Muslims but they have the audacity to think the whole world should accept them the way they are!!
@THE: "...Don’t try to make up things that don’t exist."
Perhaps @Amin Sardar hails from Khairpur as well.
@Amin Sardar: Are you out of your senses? Her parents migrated to Norway in the early 1970s, where were the Taliban then? Don't try to make up things that don't exist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadia_Tajik
she is a product of the Norwegian system. I wonder what would she have achieved had she been the same daughter of a shopkeeper, say in Lahore.
@Azad, totally agree with you! :)
@Beenish Pervaiz: Am really amazed how you managed to smell an element of male chauvinism into this thread of comments. I never thought on this pattern before making a comment on any of the forums, but now I shall be careful that there are people who may still be thinking in line with medieval times. Bravo! :)
Sshhh! Don't publicise this too much. Give her a chance to shine as a decent individual!!
I bet if we practice such a scrutiny on our own character & achievements, or lack of it, as we have bestowed upon her we will become a Nation of Shining Stars. What is wrong with you people? Can't you give two honest words of encouragement without lacing it with all sorts of confusion and negativity? Probably one who never got it, can never give it, is that right? I will then say don't be too harsh on yourself. Good news: All the people who are posting here are above average achievers in one field or another, I can tell by their writings, really!
People get jealous when they see that muslims are excelling worldwide. Some of the above comments are coming from losers.
@Maiwand
In Gilgit-Baltistan there are lots ethnic tajiks are living most of them settled there in British era.
Nice to see the negative posters mainly MEN try to diminish this young woman's position to see how authentic of a Pakistani origin can be measured. Yet these same people are spineless to stop the violence of that burned and destroyed a KFC where there families and personal property were threatened & destroyed.What happened to the brave chivalry that our fathers achieved is it lost to negative cowards that now make up the young men of Pakistan?
Vow, we (Muslims) are jumping in to own her (she is a Pakistani origin Muslim) and consider her as representing Pakistan (and Muslims) but when a terrorist is caught and is Muslim, we have the argument: oh no, he does not represent Muslims or Pakistanis. Please guys, take it simple, she has achieved something out of her talent and that't it.. Nothing to be proud of. Or else, we need to own all Muslims (and Pakistanis), whether terrorists or ministers in the Western world..
What's a big deal? Even a Pakistani can rule India, if she gets Gandhi as a last name.
She is Afghan Tajik by blood.She was born here in Pakistan. Her parent migrated to Pakistan during Taliban regime.
@Khan
"And if you didn’t know there are many million refugees living in Pakistan who have got our passports illegally and travel on our name"
I think you got that one backwards. Many Pakistani Pashtuns came to America, Canada and other western countries as refugees under the pretense of being Afghan.
Big deal? Prime Minister of India is too of Pakistani origin. Grow up. Good for her otherwise she might have a victim like cleric's daughter if she had stayed in Pakistan.
congratulations to Ms Tajik, that some one from Pakistani origin could achieve such a noble place in other cultures. There is no shortage of Pakistanis who are intelligent, talented and could compete against any other nationality given the chance of good education. I know that the Indians are doing real good in the USA and Pakistanis are not far behind, take my words for it. My advice to the young generation of Pakistan is to be honest and work hard what ever field you chose and be proud of you and your heritage.
She should endorse Hijab and Burqa in Norway.
@Maiwand: Your comment is racist and nothing else. I can understand that people of Your ethnicity are way too much racist despite the fact your country is in ruins and many of you make your career in Pakistan and then abuse the same land but i despise the Pakistani Muslim Historians who are forgetting the real Sons of the land Like Raja Porus, Ranjit Singh ( Who Ruled Khyber and Peshawar as well ) based on the fact they were Non Muslim. Mr Afghan Punjab and Sindh are the regions of the Oldest Civilization on the planet known as Indus Valley Civilization with Great history and we have nothing to prove much I hope future names should be named on Non Muslim inhabitants before Islamic invasion so that Afghan pride of Race and Color and making a fool out of People of Punjab and Sindh on the name of Islam came to an end for good.
@Maiwand:Tajik is not uncommon last name in Pakistan. In USA there is a world reknowned Cardiologist Jamil Tajik who was once chairman of Cardiology at Mayo hospital. Another name comes to mind is Naveen Tajik a known T.v artist and female singer.
@Maiwand: And if you didn't know there are many million refugees living in Pakistan who have got our passports illegally and travel on our name .. It might be that her great great parents came here or may be one of her parent is Tajik. Also, We have such names like Ghori & Abdalis because when those people were alive they were ruler of this land too when it was one area .. so you can't say they had no connection with us. There are many hospitals & roads etc named after Britishers or Indians of that era that doesn't mean we should remove their names as they make our own history of this land and its people living here from thousands of years if not millions.
Congratulation n Allah bless u.
@Zaid Hamid.
Feeling pain?.....
I was not aware that Pakistanis have the last name Tajik. But then again Pakistan is a country that has missiles named after Abdali=Afghan, Ghori=Afghan Babur=Afghan/Uzbek so it is all good for someone to take on such last names.
Great achievement...In Pakistan, the qualification to become minister is expertise in corruption and single nationality.
Congratulations to Norwagians and something to learn by us Pakistanis.
ok, and what message you are trying to give here, this is a brilliant step from norway, which shows that the dont care about the "Religion" thing! our country discriminates on the grounds of religion, take as an example, non muslim cannot be elected PM or president,,why?
She is not covered !!
Gosh! even it is none of our business, but we are extremely proud since there is nothing left in Pakistan to be proud of.
She's a (Pakistani origin) Norwegian; so nothing much to celebrate if she became a minister in the country of her choice.
Personally, I am more proud of people like Master Ayub and many other unsung heroes.
I am also proud of the many friends who completed their higher studies from abroad and came back to Pakistan with a sincere desire to give something back to Pakistan.
It is lesson for those who oppose even foreign coach for Pakistan cricket team
This is an amazing personal achievement!! Congratulations to the Norwegian people!
Well done. Congrats :)
@Zaid hamid Take your rubbish off this site and go to TOI
When a Pakistani became a minister in Saudi Arabian cabinet?
Pakistani community in Norway is very strong. Had a great time in Oslo two years back. Lots of Pakistanis there well settled down.
Feeka congratulates you from Pakistan.
The newly elected minister said that in future, multicultural values will become a part of Norway’s everyday life. the whole of Europe and actions of majority in all the European countries tell a story which is completely opposite to the above statement.
We want to have Pakistanis as the President and prime-minister of this country before bringing it into the Umma. Allah -Hu-Akbar.
In case you didn't know just few months back, Norway became a secular state, lawmakers and parliamentarians changed the country's constitution and abolished state sponsored religion.