ISLAMABAD: US President Joe Biden this week appointed Pakistani-American businessman Shahid Ahmed Khan as a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts (PACA), the White House confirmed.
Khan, described by the White House as a community leader, political advisor, and businessman, is a resident of the Greater Boston area in the US state of Massachusetts. Khan is also serving as an advisor to Pakistan's Dunya Media Group International.
Established by former American president Eisenhower, PACA members are appointed by the US president and serve as ambassadors and representatives of the Kennedy Center — one of the world's most prominent culture centers — for arts across the country.
In a statement released on Friday, the White House said Khan's professional service has been tied to international affairs with a particular focus on the Muslim world and Asia.
"His experience has centered on advancing U.S. values and principles through constructive community engagement with the American-Muslim and South Asian communities," the White House said.
Khan served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Democratic National Committee and also as the National Finance Co-Chair for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. The Pakistani-American businessman has served as an advisor on presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial, congressional, mayoral, and judicial campaigns in the United States for the past twenty years, the White House added.
"Khan is a recognized political and social activist on South Asian affairs. He is the founder of Triconboston Consulting Corporation, where he has advised companies focused on renewable energy, IT, and healthcare," it added.
Khan is not the first Pakistani to be appointed by the US president. In December 2020, Biden appointed Pakistan-born Ali Zaidi as his deputy national climate adviser.
