ISLAMABAD — Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Pir Syed Imran Ahmed Shah will travel to Chicago to attend the annual Turkish Festival organised by the Zakat Foundation of America (ZFA) on August 1–2, 2026.
According to an announcement by ZFA, the minister is attending the two-day event at the invitation of Halil Demir, founder and chief executive officer of the organisation.
The festival, described as one of the largest Muslim community gatherings in the American Midwest, is expected to attract more than 30,000 participants, including members of Chicago’s Turkish, Pakistani and wider Muslim-American communities, as well as civic and interfaith leaders.
As part of the programme, Minister Shah is scheduled to deliver remarks on “Poverty: A Global Threat”. His address will focus on the scale of global poverty, factors pushing millions of families into hardship across the world, and measures Pakistan and the international community can take jointly to address the challenge.
The address is expected to draw on Pakistan’s experience through initiatives such as the Benazir Income Support Programme and the work of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, along with recommendations for strengthening social protection at the global level.
Minister Shah will also join a panel discussion titled “The Enduring Legacy of Mawlana Rumi”, being held to commemorate Rumi’s anniversary under the theme “His Impact on the Contemporary Muslim World”.
The session will discuss the life and teachings of the 13th-century poet and mystic, the historical links between Sufism and the region that is now Pakistan, and Rumi’s continuing influence across the Muslim world.
Organisers said the minister’s participation reflected the longstanding relationship between ZFA and Pakistan, where the organisation has operated for nearly two decades.
Through its Pakistan office in Islamabad, ZFA has reported reaching more than 750,000 people and over 100,000 families through food assistance, emergency flood relief, housing reconstruction, orphan sponsorship and healthcare programmes. The organisation also continues to support Humanity Hospital in Lahore.
The Chicago Turkish Festival will include cultural performances, traditional food, exhibitions and community programming, in addition to the keynote address and panel discussion featuring the Pakistani minister.
The Zakat Foundation of America is a Chicago-based charitable organisation working in humanitarian relief, food security, healthcare and community development in the United States and abroad, including its nearly two decades of operations in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety oversees national programmes, including the Benazir Income Support Programme and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, aimed at expanding social protection and reducing poverty across the country.
