[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       A TRIBUTE TO SAFI QURESHEY

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                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 13, 1998

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Safi Qureshey, an 
individual who exemplifies the diversity, enterprise, spiritual values 
and personal integrity of a newly emerging California and yes, our 
nation in the 21st century.
  Safi immigrated to the United States from his native Pakistan. After 
finishing his education he went to work in the burgeoning electronics 
industry. Like the greats of industry who came before him, Safi was not 
content with the security of working for a large established 
corporation. Instead Safi joined with two other young immigrant 
entrepreneurs and started their own computer company in 1980. That 
company, AST Corporation, went from a garage-based operation to a 
multi-billion dollar world enterprise in just one decade.
  Safi's business success has been heralded throughout the country. He 
was recognized as one of the nation's top 25 executives and has 
received numerous other well-deserved accolades for his entrepreneurial 
achievements. While Safi is justifiably proud of the acclaim he has won 
as a businessman, those of us who know him understand he is most proud 
of his community activities and other more spiritually based 
contributions.
  Safi Qureshey is committed to a high quality of education, from grade 
school through the university level. He is personally involved in 
programs aimed at opening new educational opportunities through 
communications technology and children's programming in his native 
Pakistan. In his adopted homeland, Safi has supported business and 
technology programs in universities and colleges across the country.
  Safi is admired for his generosity and many accomplishments, but he 
is the first to give credit to his faith in Allah. Safi is, first and 
foremost, a devout Muslim. He has been a tremendous inspiration to 
young Muslims and has brought together believers in God from many 
faiths. His deeply held convictions and respect for the religious 
rights of others is example of a new Americanism that rests on the 
foundations of individual freedom and traditional values yet is being 
practiced by proud citizenry as richly diverse as the world itself.
  This year Safi is being presented the Muslim Achievement Award. Safi 
Qureshey thus represents faith and freedom in America, the best of our 
country.




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