ISLAMABAD, Aug 15 (Alliance News): President Asif Ali Zardari has approved civil awards for 355 personalities in recognition of their contributions to science, education, medicine, arts, literature, sports, public service and other fields.
The list includes federal ministers, senior government officials, academics, doctors, journalists, artists, writers, athletes, philanthropists, security personnel, police officers, martyrs, foreign dignitaries and overseas Pakistanis.
Among the federal ministers recommended for Nishan-i-Imtiaz are Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Finance and Revenue Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Establishment and Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani.
Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has been recommended for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz under the public service category.
Intelligence Bureau Director General Fuad Asadullah, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Finance Division Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Lagrial and Establishment Division Secretary Nabeel A. Awan have been recommended for Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
A large number of serving and retired public servants from the finance, revenue, police, administration, commerce, law and other sectors have also been recommended for Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
scientists, engineers and educationists
The science category includes Dr Shahid Mahmud, CEO and Chairman of Interactive Group of Companies, who has been recommended for Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
Prof Dr Syed Zafar Ilyas and Prof Dr Mudassir Asrar have been proposed for Sitara-i-Imtiaz, while Dr Sajjad Hussain, Prof Dr Aneela Zameer Jaffery and Dr Urooj Saeed have been recommended for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
Dr Muhammad Sadiq, Vice Chancellor of UET Peshawar, and Prof Dr Naeemul Haq Tariq, Principal Engineer and Professor at PIEAS, are among those recommended for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in the engineering category.
Among educationists, Lt Gen (retd) Moazzam Ejaz, Rector of NUTECH, has been recommended for Hilal-i-Imtiaz. Prof Dr Muhammad Raza Shah, Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, Dr Rashid Amjad and Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir have been proposed for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
Several university vice chancellors, professors, researchers and education administrators have also been recommended for national honours.
doctors and healthcare professionals
Fifteen leading medical and healthcare professionals have been recommended for civil awards for their services to medicine and public health.
The list includes Prof Dr Syed Jamal Raza, Prof Faisal Saud Dar, late Prof Dr Tahir Shamsi and late Dr Naseem Salahuddin. DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah has also been selected for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
artists, writers and poets
The arts category features personalities from film, television, theatre, music, painting and traditional arts.
Actor Balqees Bano, popularly known as Nisho Begum, comedian Iftikhar Ahmed Thakur and Naat Khawan Syed Fasihuddin Soharwardy are among those proposed for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
In literature, fiction writer, playwright and poet Asad Muhammad Khan has been recommended for Nishan-i-Imtiaz.
Poets Ejaz Rahim and Muhammad Khurshidul Hasan Rizvi have been proposed for Hilal-i-Imtiaz, while several other writers and poets have been recommended for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
journalists also included
The journalism category includes Muhammad Saleh Zaafir and Haji Nawaz Raza, both recommended for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
Syed Hammad Ghaznavi and journalist-photographer Muhammad Amir Khan have been proposed for PAPP, while Muhammad Riaz Khan, Shoaib Ahmed and M Ammar Masood have been recommended for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
News anchors Dr Maria Zulfiqar, Adil Shahzaib, Hammad Hassan and Tasawwar Arafat have also been recommended for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
sports personalities
The sports category includes senior boxing coach Atta Mohammad Kakar and martial artist and yoga pioneer Dr Waseem A. Tai, both proposed for Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
Wrestler Bashir Bhola, shooter Kishmala Talat, squash player Noor Zaman, boxer Muhammad Waseem and cricketer Sadiq Muhammad have been recommended for PAPP, while athlete Faiqa Riaz has been proposed for Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
gallantry awards for security personnel and martyrs
A significant portion of the recommendations relates to gallantry and public service.
Dozens of Federal Constabulary personnel have been recommended posthumously for Sitara-i-Shujaat in recognition of their sacrifices.
Police personnel, Intelligence Bureau officials and civilians have also been recommended for Sitara-i-Shujaat, while senior security and law-enforcement officers have been proposed for Sitara-i-Imtiaz for gallantry and public service.
Several police officers and personnel from intelligence and security institutions have further been recommended for Tamgha-i-Shujaat and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
foreign nationals recommended for honours
Foreign nationals have also been included among the recipients in recognition of their services to Pakistan.
Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak has been recommended for Nishan-i-Pakistan.
Several Saudi, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, Chinese and other foreign personalities have been proposed for Hilal-i-Pakistan, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Pakistan and Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam.
Those recommended include Saudi Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Saudi Education Minister Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, Deemah Al Yahya, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Logvinovich Overchuk, Japanese scholar Hiroji Kataoka and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
overseas pakistanis
The awards also recognise overseas Pakistanis for their contributions and services to the country.
Muhammad Asad has been recommended posthumously for Nishan-i-Imtiaz, while Dr Ghulam Murtaza, Prof Ahmed Ali and Sardar Muhammad Ilyas Khan have been proposed for Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
Several Pakistanis based in the UAE, Japan, South Korea, the UK, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy and other countries have also been recommended for Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
The broad list reflects recognition across diverse sectors, including national service, scientific research, education, healthcare, culture, journalism, sports, security and international cooperation.
