A large number of supporters from the Muslim community gathered in support of New Jersey Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, Saturday, October 18, 2025, at The Bhutta House in Piscataway, NJ. Among the leading organizers of the event was New Jersey-Muslim Relations Executive Director Dr. Ibrar Nadeem.
The Muslims 4Jack Meet & Greet was held to honor the values of faith, family, and freedom that unite the group and Ciattarelli’s dedication to defending family values, protecting religious liberty, and serving the community with justice and integrity, a program flyer from the organizers said.
Ciattarelli was warmly welcomed by the crowd, each of them shaking his hand or hugging him. “No community has welcomed me as you have,” Ciattarelli said in his speech.
The meeting was addressed by a number of Muslim leaders among them Marlboro Township Councilman Juned Qazi, Anjan Karnati, candidate for Middlesex County Commission, and a number of leaders who were introduced by Dr. Nadeem and brought to the stage for a photo-opportunity with Ciattarelli.
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Qazi said Ciattarelli was “for the whole community,” and had visited various places of worship including a Hindu temple, a Jewish synagogue etc. “He is going to win New Jersey – 200 percent he will be our governor. He has the dedication, the energy.” He urged those present to promise to bring 10 people to the polls to vote come November. “We want to see our own man as the governor.”
Karnati said, “Nobody else can fix New Jersey…. New Jersey is broken. He (Ciattarelli) can fix taxes, safey, and our electricity bills.”
Dr. Nadeem spoke of his experience of achieving the American Dream after he immigrated from Pakistan. “We are proud of our religion. I’m going to ask him (Ciattarelli) tonight in front of my people – We want you to fix our schools,” He said the community was sending children to Islamic schools because public schools were not meeting their needs. He also emphasized, “We want a seat at the table. We want to be in those rooms where all the decisions are made.” He went on to say “We are not for same-sex marriage.” He also said his other ask of Canadidate Ciattarelli,“We want safe communities.”
In his speech, Ciattarelli recounted his meeting with Dr. Nadeem 8 months ago, where the Muslim leader told him, “I am going to help you be the next Governor of New Jersey.”
Speaking about the diversity of New Jersey, Ciattarelli said the 350,000 strong Muslim community in the state has made New Jersey “culturally and economically strong,” and that the values of the Muslim community were aligned with Republican values. He encouraged Muslims to participate more in the political process.
He gave an account of his own parents who were immigrants and worked hard to prosper and bring up their four children. They taught him about commitment and opportunity, he said.