World

Pakistan-born environmentalist could become Oslo mayor

Shoaib Sultan is former secretary of Norway's Islamic Council and now belongs to Norway's Green Party

Afp September 15, 2015

Shoaib Sultan. PHOTO: MDG

OSLO: A Muslim environmentalist originally from Pakistan could become Oslo's next mayor after his party became kingmaker in the Norwegian capital following local elections.

After winning five seats on Oslo city council in Monday's election, the green party MDG holds the balance of power and says it will insist its candidate, Shoaib Sultan, be given the position of mayor in upcoming negotiations with the other parties.

"He would be a wonderful mayor for all of Oslo, he would be the most representative mayor the people of Oslo have ever known," MDG party leader Rasmus Hansson, told NRK radio on Tuesday. "The position of mayor is definitely part of the package to be negotiated," he said.

Both the right wing, which has been in power in Oslo for 18 years, and the left have said they are ready to negotiate with MDG to obtain a majority on the council. The right won 28 of the 59 seats up for grabs, while the left took 26 seats.

MDG presents itself as officially independent from the two blocs, but has traditionally voted with leftist parties. "The issues will be what is most important for us," said Hansson, hinting that the party could be swayed to give up the mayor's post if it wins concessions on policy issues in exchange.

Shoaib Sultan, 41, is a former secretary of the Islamic Council, an umbrella organisation representing Muslims in Norway, and has also worked for an anti-racism centre. He came to Norway from Pakistan when he was around a year old.

Monday's local election saw the defeat of the parties sitting in the national government, Prime Minister Erna Solberg's Conservative Party and the populist Progressive Party, as well as their centre-right allies. The Labour party and its allies appear to have won majorities in most big towns.

COMMENTS (8)

Another Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @Bob Carlson... I have to respectfully disagree with you there too. I am an Indian living in US (DC area) and I haven't met anyone (Indian or other, for that matter) who considers B Jindal as the epitome of Indian success, mostly because of the reasons you have mentioned and also because he is not a first generation immigrant. Second and further generation Indians (and immigrants from most other third world countries) actively distance themselves from where their parents are from and don't consider themselves as Indians as they don't want to be a part of third world. Also, do you think B Jindal would have become what he is now if he had kept his original religion and name and shown any affinity toward a non-Christian third world country (we are talking about Louisiana here)? ET.. please publish...

kami | 9 years ago | Reply To all above, London mayor is Boris Jhonson who has nothing in common with Indians or Pakistanis. To my knowledge no London mayor has been Asian or even black. Current candidate from Labour Party is Sadiq Khan who is a Solicitor & son of a Pakistani bus driver. His opponent is Jemimah's brother.

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Bob Carlson | 9 years ago | Reply @Tore and Malatesh, I have to respectfully disagree with your position. I live in US and New Orleans, Louisiana State, mayor is of Indian Punjabi Origin, Bobby Jindal. He is always portrayed by Indians as a Champion of India and they always feel proud of him, even though Bobby Jindal, who was born a Sikh, has converted to Christianity and has Americanized and does not associate himself with any Indians and actively distances himself from anything South Asia relation, yet all the Indians in US and India do not get tired of being proud of him. So, please do not show the tainted viewpoint of Pakistanis when in fact it is a matter of pride and feel good for Pakistanis to celebrate this individual as a first (potential) Mayor of a major European City. Tribune please publish this post, Thank you.

Tore | 9 years ago | Reply To Malatesh Thanks for replying: I didint knew that London mayor was british-indian. But anyhow competent people from South Asia will help the image of South Asian. When people are positive towards one ethnic group they also want to do all type of dealing with you, the opposite is that they boycot you. In case of indians livving in Europe ist very common that tyey get top positions but in case of pakistanies they are not positive, due to muslim background. They ask all type of negative and Islam critical questions on job interviews here and haterd towards muslims in Europe is very high. Therefore its very important that Sohaib Sultan gets top position as Oslo's mayor , that would be a ice breaker, and give many south asians enforced belive in themself. But as i said people of indian background is not boycotted. Once a indian told me in Norway that he/she also have toticed that pakistani are boycotted and threated worse etc and life is not sp easy for pakistanies here in Europe, while European are very positive towards indian. Pakistanies and other immigrants from other muslim countries must sacrifice all the time here for beeing muslim. In USA its worser.

Malatesh | 9 years ago | Reply @Tore, Thanks for replying with such a details.. In one way it's true that he likely have positive sentiments towards Pakistanis living in that area.. If he becomes a mayor then there would be beneficial to all south Asians living there.. But I said it's nothing great to Pakistan.. London mayor is an Indian, does India got any benefit from London mayor? No, but yes local Asian community got benefitted from him.

Tore | 9 years ago | Reply Answer to Malatesh: Its great if Sohaib Sultan becomes the mayor of Oslo, Norways capital. It wil be noticed in whole Europe if Oslo gets norwegian-pakistani mayor. Mayor of Oslo have very central role when nobel peace price is given annually. Its is first of all a great advertisment for all norwegian-pakistanies. And pakistanies livving all over Europe. If pakistanies do it well in one country is its noticed and people talk about it in also other European countries. At the moment its a lot of talk about Syrian refugees in Europe. Denmark is very immigrant hostile country, specially for immigrants from muslim countries, because they dont integrate according to Europeans. But even Danish and Swedish are very postive about Syrians refugees, bacause they are educated, everybody talk english, have smart telefon, are well dressed, and dont like to depend on goverment benefits for long time, but want to work and earn for their own bread and butter. And are very little involved in criminality. When european consider immigration from one nation they also consider the circumstances of the country immigrants are from. For instance in Syrian case, its a middle income country and people are well educated and Syria was developing fast. Simmilarly people have very bad immage of Pakistan. Muslim extreamism, radicalization, terrorism, criminality, killing, kidnappings, wife beating, force marriage of and other negative things. Muslim immigrants from other countries dont have so good track record in Europe except bosnian muslims. Its therefore very important that more European-pakistanies come forward and try to get top positions so people in Europe gets a better image of Pakistan and pakistanies. Right now the immage of pakistanies livving in Europe is very low. Its very imortant that also Pakistan is pulled in right direction, and solid institutions for accountability, tax, law & enforcement are created. And corrupt people punished. Zardari, Altab bhai, Aswandwali Khan, Mullana Fazul-Rehman, Nawaz Sharif etc

Malatesh | 9 years ago | Reply What is great about it? This guy only born in Pakistan but grew up and got the education in Norway and he is a citizen of Norway and he is becoming the a mayor. Musharraff also born in India and becomes president of Pakistan, does anybody in India feel great about him?

Ibrar | 9 years ago | Reply Hooray! May you have a successful and prosperous future.

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