Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, delivers remarks while campaigning at the Hanson Place Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ryan Murphy

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has drawn backlash for attending the city’s annual parade celebrating Pakistan — after refusing to attend a parade commemorating Israel over alleged human rights concerns.

“Yesterday, I gathered with residents at the Allama Iqbal Community Center’s Mela to commemorate Pakistan’s Independence Day and honor the contributions Pakistani New Yorkers have made to our city,” Mamdani posted on X/Twitter on Monday.

“Today and everyday, we celebrate this community whose open arms, determination, and dreams for a better life have helped shape the city they call home,” he added. 

Pakistan Day Parade in New York City typically takes place in Manhattan in late August to commemorate Pakistan’s Independence Day. The parade featured live music, speakers, community leaders, and cultural programming. 

Mamdani’s presence at the parade raised eyebrows among observers due to his refusal to attend the city’s annual Israel Day Parade in late May, pointing to what he repeatedly described as Israeli human rights abuses.

“I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” Mamdani said in May. 

The mayor has repeatedly accused Israel of committing “genocide” against civilians in Gaza and erecting an “apartheid” regime in the West Bank. He also stated in a CNN interview last month that he won’t express support for Israel because he can’t “support any state that privileges one religion over another, whether it is Israel, Saudi Arabia, or anywhere else.”

Israel does not have an official state religion, and non-Jewish Israelis enjoy the same equal rights throughout the country as Jews. In contrast, Islam is the official state religion in Saudi Arabia, and non-Muslims face certain legal and religious restrictions.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, State Attorney General Letitia James, and former City Mayors Eric Adams and Michael Bloomberg all attended the parade. 

Critics of Mamdani questioned why the mayor attended the Pakistan Day Parade, given the country’s human rights record.

Religious minorities such as Christians, Shi’a Muslims, Hindus, and Ahmadis are often the subject of persecution within Pakistan.

Pakistan, officially an Islamic state, imposes strict blasphemy laws, which criminalize any commentary about the Prophet Muhammad contrary to the Quran, effectively restricting public expressions of non-Muslim faith. Pakistan’s constitution discriminates against the Ahmadi minority specifically, banning the group from self-identifying as Muslims, preaching their faith, or inviting others to join their faith. 

Under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan initiated in 2023, Pakistan has expelled a reported 2.68 million Afghans from the country, alleging that the minority group represents a security threat. Human rights organizations have called on Pakistan to cease the forced deportation of Afghans.

Pakistan is also accused of maintaining strict restrictions on speech and media, having allegedly arrested journalists and targeting media organizations critical of the government. This year, the government implemented a new policy restricting foreign journalists from reporting outside of Islamabad without securing government approval. 

Mamdani’s decision to participate in festivities commemorating a country embroiled in a variety of human rights scandals raises further scrutiny as to whether the mayor imposes a double standard on Jewish people. The mayor has been accused by several local Jewish leaders of fomenting antisemitism through his incessant anti-Israel rhetoric.  

Anti-Jewish hate crimes continued to dominate New York City’s bias-crime landscape in the first half of 2026. The police recorded 178 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes — 55.3% of all confirmed hate crimes citywide — even though Jews comprise only about 10% of New York City’s population. By comparison, police confirmed 21 anti-Muslim hate crimes and 33 targeting sexual orientation, meaning anti-Jewish incidents outnumbered anti-Muslim incidents by more than 8 to 1.