WASHINGTON – The Houston Police Department Sunday appointed two new assistant chiefs and one of the newly appointed officials is Yasar Bashir – the first Pakistani-Muslim commander.
Bashir along with fellow cops was appointed by police Chief Troy Finner. The Pakistani origin is currently working as head of the Family Violence Department. He was formerly commander of Major Assaults.
The U.S. Embassy of Islamabad also shared a note in a celebratory tweet about his appointment.
Yasir Bashir, a Pakistani-American commander, was appointed Assistant Chief of Houston Police as Head of the family violence department. Bashir will be the first Muslim assistant chief of police in the United States 🇺🇸. #USEmbassyIslamabad #PakistaniAmericans pic.twitter.com/UN9D3qNK9d
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) April 17, 2021
Bashir also featured in a National Geographic documentary on Muslims in America in 2018. He belonged from Lahore and shifted to the United States with his family in the year 1985. He joined the force in 2001 and was in the academy when the 9/11 attacks occurred.
Speaking with a reputable Pakistani newspaper, Bashir, who studied finance, said he hadn’t any interest in law enforcement until someone said him to join the police department. I liked it so much that I went back to the university and earned a master’s in criminology.
Refuting any event of discrimination in the metropolis, Bashir termed Houston a truly diverse and open culture state. It’s one of the best cities in the US. I received so much love and affection from my fellow officers that I will disagree with the suggestion, he added.
Narrating his experience in the Houston Police department, he mentioned that the department really helped Muslim officers during Ramadan as they got breaks for iftar and dinner meals and time to pray.
Police Chief Troy Finner went to a Muslim community event to announce my appointment, saying: I am going to have somebody who will represent all of you, he added.
