.jpg "Pakistan to Honour 263 Personalities with Civil Awards")
The Government of Pakistan has announced that 263 individuals will be awarded civil honors on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2026, in recognition of their outstanding contributions in various fields. The recipients include prominent names from arts, literature, sports, journalism, education, science, and social services.
The President’s Award for Pride of Performance will be given to Sultan Javed Jamal, Zulqarnain Haider, Jamshed Ali Khan, Khawaja Ali Kazim (posthumous), Muhammad Azam Khan, Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq, Mukhtiar Naz Taj Mastani, Noor Muhammad Baloch, and Rajab Ali for their contributions to acting, music, and performing arts.
The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in arts will be awarded to Allah Dina (A.D. Baloch), Qazi Shujaat Qadri, and Imran Ullah Hunzai for acting, visual arts, and Naat Khawani.
Awards Ceremony
The awards will be presented by President Asif Ali Zardari at a grand ceremony in Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad. The honors are intended to recognize excellence and exceptional services rendered to the nation in their respective domains.
Literature
In literature, the highest civil award, Nishan-i-Imtiaz, will be conferred upon Mustansar Hussain Tarar, Ata Ul Haq Qasmi, and Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui for their contributions to poetry and writing. Poet Zehra Nigah and Asghar Nadeem Syed will receive the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
Several writers and poets will be honored with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, including Murtaza Barlas, Yasmeen Hameed, Naseer Ahmad Nasir, Prof Karrar Hussain (posthumous), Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, Raza Ullah Shah Arif Naushahi, and Syed Masood Hassan Shihab Dehlvi (posthumous).
The President’s Award for Pride of Performance in literature will be given to Aminullah Daudzai, Akhtar Mehmood (Akhtar Usman), and Tajammul Kaleem (posthumous). The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz will be awarded to Ahmad Khan Tariq (posthumous), Dr Ghulam Moeenuddin (Moeen Nizami), Dr Nasir Abbass Nayyer, Muhammad Amin Zia, and Sarwat Mohyuddin.
Sports
In sports, the Hilal-i-Imtiaz will be awarded to Shahid Khan Afridi (cricket), Shehroze Kashif (mountaineering), and Malik Muhammad Atta (equestrian sports, posthumous). Sitara-i-Imtiaz will go to Sana Mir (cricket) and Haider Ali (discus throw). The President’s Award for Pride of Performance will be given to Muhammad Sajjad (Gujjar) for kabaddi and Shahzaib Rind for karate combat. The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz will honor Mohsin Nawaz (shooting), Muhammad Hamza Khan (squash), and Rashid Malik (tennis).
Journalism and Other Fields
In journalism, the Hilal-i-Imtiaz will be presented to senior journalist Ehtisham-ul-Haq. The Sitara-i-Imtiaz will be awarded to Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi and Sarmad Ali. The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz will go to Samar Abbas, Adil Abbasi, Kiran Naz, Binesh Saleem, Kamran Hamid Raja, Mona Alam, Muhammad Tariq Aziz, Arshad Ansari, Abdul Moee Shah, and Shazia Sikandar for excellence in reporting, column writing, and journalistic services.
Arts
A total of 22 awards in the arts category will be conferred. Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz include:
- Samina Peerzada – Acting, Anchoring, Direction
- Fazila Kaiser Qazi – Acting
- Savera Abbas (Savera Nadeem) – Acting
- Azra Aftab – Acting
- Irfan Ali Khoosat – Performing Arts
- Irfan Ahson – Photography
- Hadiqa Kiani – Singing
- Humera Arshad – Singing, Anchoring
- Saira Naseem – Singing
- Salima Hashmi – Painting, Curation, Art History
Conclusion
The civil awards highlight Pakistan’s commitment to recognizing outstanding achievements across multiple fields. The ceremony on March 23, 2026, will honor these distinguished personalities for their exceptional contributions to the nation.
