New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed numerous Pakistani Americans and Indian Americans to his transition team as he prepares to take office on January 1, 2026, reflecting significant South Asian representation in what will be the city’s first Muslim and South Asian-led administration.
Pakistani American Leadership
The most prominent Pakistani American appointee is Lina Maliha Khan, who will serve as one of four transition co-chairs, according to The Nation. Khan, born in London to British-Pakistani parents, moved to the United States when she was 11 and attended public school in New York. She studied political science at Williams College in Massachusetts and later attended Yale Law School.
Khan became the youngest ever FTC chair in 2021 and led the agency until January 2025, earning recognition for her aggressive stance on antitrust enforcement and consumer protection. In a statement following her appointment, Khan said she was excited to help Mamdani build a team that will usher in a new era for New York City and set a new model for Democratic governance…