Pakistan, Nov. 3 -- As the United States heads into a crucial election week, two South Asian Muslim candidates - Zohran Mamdani in New York and Ghazala Hashmi in Virginia - are poised to make political history, signalling a major shift in American representation and voter engagement.

In New York, 34-year-old Mamdani leads the mayoral race with strong backing from young and working-class voters, positioning him to become the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor. His campaign promises - freezing rent hikes, making public transport free, and creating publicly owned grocery stores - have struck a chord with younger voters under 50, who account for nearly 70% of early ballots

Meanwhile, in Virginia, Democrat Ghazala Hashmi, already the ...