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Muhammad Asad Gondal Elected as the new President of BCMA
12-06-2021
BC Muslim Association held their annual general meeting on Sunday December 5th, 2021. As per the constitution of BCMA, their Presidents are elected every two years for a maximum of two term limits. With the outgoing President Iltaf Sahib having served his two terms, Br. Muhammad Asad Gondal has been elected by the directors of BCMA Branches as the newly elected President of BCMA.
Muhammad Asad Gondal moved to Canada from Pakistan in 2001. In Pakistan he had studied M.Phil in Soil Chemistry and worked in the government sector. In 2003 he opened his own business on Commercial Drive. Since 2017 he has been the Chairman for the BCMA - Surrey/Delta branch. He also was part of the constitutional review committee as a member.
Br. Asad issued the following message as the newly elected President of BCMA.
Bismillah-hir-Rahman-nir-Rahim
All praise is due to Allah Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything that lies in between. As of today, Myself, Muhammad Asad Gondal, am newly elected President of the BCMA. I am extremely ever-grateful for this humbling opportunity and I thank the Almighty, and all of my peers alike, that have motivated me and given me guidance. The future is always unforeseen and brings multitudes of calamities and obstacles, but InshaAllah, I plan on facing everything head on with my team beside me.
I would like to give a huge thanks to the election committee that has done an outstanding job and completed the election process for 2021-2022. I can only imagine how hectic the entire process was. I want to thank all of the directors from different branches for their hard work and I want to give a huge thanks to my predecessor, President Br. Iltaf Sahib for his guidance and support during this turnover. Moreover, I would like to give thanks to General Secretary Br. Abdullah Nasib Ali for his tremendous input and hard work.
I know elections can bring division but the election is now over and now we cannot afford any division because what’s done is done. I am extending my hand out and inviting everyone to come and work with me together. Instead of labelling me as a “brand” or the “head” of the BCMA, where we impose a level of control, I counter that we all work together and we should all be available at all levels of management, especially all BCMA officials/directors. Conflicts of interest are dangerous waters to be swimming in and I would advise we all straighten up as officials because the reputation and name of The BCMA is behind us. An organization is only as strong as the ones running it. And there will be many challenges and many obstacles we will have to face together, but as we have done so in the past, we will raise our hands up and ask The Almighty for assistance and guidance and The Most-Merciful always answers.
Moving forward, I have a very precise vision for the future, I would bring about the following changes:
1. Active membership attention and bringing more membership under our community.
2. I would bring more focus on individual branch decisions, namely our branches in the interior that do not have much attention.
3. General membership confidence has always been a goal of ours and we will stay true to our values we have held built over the years.
4. More women integrate in the BCMA with decision making in their respective branches and in the organization as a whole.
5. Bring more focus and attention to our youth (ages 12+) in a way where care is given to them and they truly feel appreciated.
6. Implementation of less bureaucracy and more transparency within the organization.
7. Collectively, we would plan to build a private school that is K-12 somewhere in between Abbotsford and Langley. One of my future goals is to have a community center, in which we aid our community in multiple ways throughout the lower mainland. This is a long term goal, of course, and I do not anticipate it being completed anytime soon, but it is one that is imminent and, InshaAllah, many great opportunities await, which will be further discussed.
Upon all of these parallels, I can guarantee one thing for sure: I am a team player. I will always work diligently to solve the issue at hand and do it in a way where everyone is content. If anyone wishes to reference this, they may go and ask the directors in my branch, members of our community, and both of Surrey Jamea Masjid’s Imams, and the current BCMA president and his executives.
Over the past 4 years, if there is anything I have learnt it is that this work is a very noble effort and it requires teamwork. I have always been a team player and surround myself with like-minded people. There are many goals I plan on achieving, but they cannot be done alone and for that, I ask for your support, help, and guidance. If we all join together, InshaAllah, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
Muhammad Asad Gondal
President
BCMA
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