THE YOUNGEST ever and first mixed race chairman of the Pakistani Community Centre was officially instated at a meeting on Sunday, October 9.

Former Bulmershe School pupil Mian Kamal Saleem took over as chair at the annual general meeting after his group, Team Trust, scooped all 18 available seats at elections on October 2.

Mr Saleem, who has Pakistani and British heritage, is the youngest leader in the group's history at 29 years-old- having taken the honour from his father Mian Mohammed Saleem, who was elected at 45.

Team Trust's 17,968 votes beat the incumbent Team Unity's 15,833 at the tri-annual elections, signalling a change in leadership for Reading's largest ethnic minority.

Mr Saleem, who works as managing director at the Indian Buffet Restaurant in Broad Street Mall, fought the election on two main policies.

“The lease on our community centre has expired so we are hoping to negotiate a long one with Reading Borough Council,” he explained.

“We also want to get more young people involved because more are going into a life of crime.

“From speaking to Thames Valley Police it is clear that our problem is not drug use, but drug dealing. It's more money orientated.

“We want to get them off the streets and give them another option. It's going to be tough, but if we can help 15, 30 or even 50 people, then that's excellent.”

Mr Saleem was inaugurated at meeting along with vice-chairman Chaudhry Wasim, treasurer Imran Ghafoor, secretary Amjad Tarar and joint-secretary Mohammed Iftikhar.