Islamabad (Web Desk): President Asif Ali Zardari, at a grand investiture ceremony at the President’s House on Wednesday, conferred civil awards on distinguished personalities in recognition of their exceptional contributions in a variety of fields.
The ceremony honoured individuals for their achievements in public service, sports, literature, diplomacy, and acts of valour, demonstrating the country’s appreciation for dedication, excellence, and sacrifice in different areas of national life.
Late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian honour in recognition of his distinguished and lifelong services to the cause of democracy.
In separate acknowledgement for his contribution to literature and journalism, late Irfan Siddiqui was also conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz.
The award recognised his outstanding literary work, journalistic excellence, and long-standing intellectual services to the country.
The other recipients who were conferred upon with awards in different categories included, Attaul Haq Qasmi Nishan-i-Imtiaz, Shahid Khan Afridi Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Muhammad Ali Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Asghar Nadeem Syed Hilal-i-Imtiaz, late Senator Taj Haider (posthumous) Sitara-i-Pakistan, Moazzam Jah Ansari Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Engineer Jamaluddin Ahmed Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Mirza Rizwan Baig Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Muhammad Yousuf Khan Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Dr Ameer Muhammad Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Professor Dr Ikram ul Haq Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Zahra Majid Ali Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Shehroz Kashif Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Late Malik Ata Muhammad Khan Hilal-i-Imtiaz (posthumous), Ehtesham ul Haq Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Azeez uddin Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Bahrain’s diplomat Mohammad Ebrahim Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Javed Ullah Khan Mehsood Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Nawab Ali Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Senator Hidayatullah Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), ASI Muhammad Akram Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), SI Taj Meer Shah Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Abdullah Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Samand Khan Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Zameel Badshah Shaeed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Abdul Hameed Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Muhammad Siraj Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Muhammad Javed Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Hafeezullah Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Inspector Shariq Rizwan Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Jawad Qamar Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Naek Gulzar Ali Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sipoy Uzair Khan Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Khatab ul Rehman Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Gul Umarzai Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Abdul Sameed Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Imran Khan Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Naeb Subedar Muhammad Jan Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Lance Naek Syed ur Rehman Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Hazratullah Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Khunzada Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Mushtaq Ahmed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Baseerullah Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Mehtab ur Rehman Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Sher Rehman Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Fazal Kareem Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Syed Amin Shaheed Sitara-i-Shujaat (posthumous), Shah Wali Khan Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), ASI Muhammad Ejaz Khan Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), SI Laiq Zada Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Alam Zeb Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), Constable Muhammad Ejaz Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), Waseem Ahmed Khan Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous), Sepoy Azhar Mehmood Shaheed Hilal e Shujaat (posthumous).
The personalities who also received Sitara-i-Shujaat included Sepoy Muhammad Yousaf Shaheed (posthumous), Constable Muhammad Shehryar Shaheed (posthumous), Faisal Ismail Shaheed (posthumous), Abdul Wakeel Shaheed (posthumous), Fazal Manan Shaheed (posthumous), ASI Noor Hakeem Shaheed (posthumous), Constable Zahidullah Shaheed (posthumous), and Liaqat Ali Shaheed (posthumous).
Similarly the personalities who received Sitara-i-Imtiaz included Secretary Interior Captain (r) Muhammad Agha, Dr Muhammad Fakhar e Alam, Nabeel Munir, Iftikhar Amjad, Lt. (R) Sohail Ashraf, Dr Naseem Faraz, Javed Akbar Riaz, Brigadier Faisal Shaukat Jehangiri, Ahmed Abdul Moeez Khawaja, Irfan Ahsan, Hamza Tabani, Dr Arshad Rehan (US/Pakistani), Late Munir Ahmed Chaudhry, Muhammad Yaseen Khan, Arshad Wali Muhammad, Ahmed Raza, Prof Sarwar Muhammad Khawaja, Hamra Abbas, Late Justice Syed Deedar Hussain Shah, Nadeem Hussain, and Nadeem Mehboob.
Rashid Waheed Khawaja and Zahid Ahmed received Pride of Performance award while Muhammad Saeed Sheikh received Sitara-i-Khidmat and Shahid Hussain received Tamgha-i-Shujaat award.
Those who received Tamgha-i-Imtiaz included IG Sindh Javaid Akhtar Odhoo, Nadir Shafee Dar, Dr Muhammad Shahbaz Chaudhry, Muhammad Kashif Ashfaq, Ch Amanat Hussain Mahr, Dr Farhat Akhtar Raja, Dr Khurum Hayat Khan, Dr Muhammad Shabi Ahmed, Dr Zeeshan Ali, Syed Zahid Hussain Shah, Raja Suleman Raza, Sajid Abbas, Naveed Anwar Chaudhry, Abdul Waheed Khan, Abdul Wahab Sheikh, Waqas ul Hassan, Shazia Sikandar Rana, Mohsin Nawaz, Muhammad Arsalan Zafar, Abdul Muhai Shah, Dr Rao Kamran Ali, Dr Imran Syed, Dr Muhammad Naeem Malik, Nasir Aftab, Professor Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri, Aamir Javed Sheikh, Dr Anam Fatema, Captain (r) Qazi Ali Raza, Capt (r) Chaudhry Awais Afzal, Sahibzada Muhammad Yousuf, Waseem Ahmed, Professor Muhammad Tayyeb, CEO SMEDA Nadia Jehangir Seth, and Zia ul Hassan Lanjar.
The ceremony as a whole reflected the nation’s commitment to recognising merit, dedication, and heroism across different sectors.