president zardari approves
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President Zardari approves civil awards for 355 pe…

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved civil awards for 355 Pakistani and foreign personalities in recognition of their outstanding services and achievements in various fields.

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony on Pakistan Day, March 23, next year. The recipients include prominent figures from politics, public service, entertainment, sports, journalism, law enforcement, medicine and other sectors.

Among the personalities from the entertainment industry, singers Tarannum Naz and Nisho Begum will receive the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. Actors Ghazala Kaifi, Sania Saeed and Maria Wasti, along with singer Zohaib Hassan, will be honoured with the Tamgha-i-Husn-i-Karkardagi. Singer Shiraz Uppal will receive the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

In sports, shooter Kishmala Talat and former Test cricketer Sadiq Mohammad will be awarded the Tamgha-i-Husn-i-Karkardagi for their contributions and achievements.

Several senior government officials and political figures have also been included in the awards list. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani will receive the Nishan-i-Imtiaz.

Director General Intelligence Bureau Fawad Asadullah, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal and Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul will receive the Sitara-i-Imtiaz.

Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Allama Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi will be awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, while Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam will receive the Hilal-i-Imtiaz for public service.

Zobia Khursheed Raja of Azad Kashmir will receive the Tamgha-i-Shujaat for her bravery in confronting rioters. She reportedly risked her life to rescue an injured police officer who was surrounded by rioters.

A total of 46 martyrs of law enforcement agencies will be awarded the Sitara-i-Shujaat. Group Captain Asim Tariq Shaheed will also receive the same honour.

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan CEO Dr Ubaidullah will receive the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, while Punjab Saaf and Suthra Authority Director General Babar Sahib Din will be awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

Senior journalists Saleh Zafar and Haji Nawaz Raza will receive the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. Journalists Ammar Masood, Maria Zulfiqar, Adil Shahzeb and Hamad Hassan will be honoured with the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

Two physicians associated with Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dr Jal Ratanji Patel and Dr Jal Dabu, will be conferred the Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam posthumously.

The list also includes prominent foreign figures. Saudi Prince Saud bin Naif will receive the Hilal-i-Pakistan, while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Trade Minister Omer Bolat will each be awarded the Sitara-i-Pakistan.

Dr Khalid Abbas Al-Asadi and Dr Paul Jacob Bhatti will receive the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in recognition of their services.

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