President Asif Ali Zardari has approved civil awards for 355 individuals in recognition of their contributions to public service, science, education, medicine, arts, literature, journalism, sports, social welfare, philanthropy, gallantry and services to Pakistan, according to a list issued on Independence Day.
Among those recognized for public service and receiving the Hilal-e-Imtiaz is Razi Ahmed, a board member of AG Publications that operates The Standard. Ahmed is the founder and chief executive of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) and a director of the Associated Group, where he has been involved in the group’s business operations and cultural initiatives. In 2025, France conferred on him the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contribution to culture.
The wide-ranging list includes federal ministers, senior civil servants, academics, scientists, doctors, artists, writers, journalists, athletes, philanthropists, police and security personnel, martyrs and foreign dignitaries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Establishment and Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani would receive the Nishan-e-Imtiaz. Similarly, Tahir Ashrafi would receive the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz under public service.
Intelligence Bureau Director General Fuad Asadullah, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Finance Division Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and Establishment Division Secretary Nabeel A Awan are among those receiving the Hilal-e-Imtiaz. A large number of serving and former officials from the finance, revenue, police, administration, commerce and law sectors have been cited for the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
In science and engineering, Shahid Mahmud, chairman and chief executive of Interactive Group of Companies, has been picked for the Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Syed Zafar Ilyas and Mudassir Asrar are among those receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, while Sajjad Hussain, Aneela Zameer Jaffery and Urooj Saeed would be honored with the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
The engineering category includes Muhammad Sadiq, vice chancellor of UET Peshawar, and Naeemul Haq Tariq of PIEAS. Lt. Gen. Moazzam Ejaz (ret.), rector of NUTECH, is among the educationists receiving the Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Muhammad Raza Shah, Khalid Masood Gondal, Rashid Amjad and Zafar Iqbal Qadir are among those tapped for the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, alongside several university vice chancellors, researchers and professors.
Fifteen prominent medical and healthcare professionals have also been recognized, including Dr. Syed Jamal Raza, Faisal Saud Dar and the late Dr. Tahir Shamsi and Dr. Naseem Salahuddin. Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Dr. Obaidullah has been approved for the Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
The arts category features actor Balqees Bano, comedian Iftikhar Ahmed Thakur and Naat khawan Syed Fasihuddin Soharwardhy receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Numerous singers, actors, musicians, painters, theater practitioners and traditional artisans would receive the President’s Award for Pride of Performance and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
In literature, fiction writer and poet Asad Muhammad Khan has been honored with the Nishan-e-Imtiaz. Poets Ejaz Rahim and Muhammad Khurshidul Hasan Rizvi would receive the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, while Muhammad Shakeel Adilzada, Brigadier Waheeduz-Zaman Tariq ret.), Maqsood Hussain Jafri, Riazul Haq Tahir Riaz Majeed, Muhammad Hafeez Khan, Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, Hashim Nadeem and Syed Ghulam Abbas are among those honored with the Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
The journalism category includes Muhammad Saleh Zaafir and Haji Nawaz Raza, both receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Syed Hammad Ghaznavi and journalist-photographer Muhammad Amir Khan would receive the President’s Award for Pride of Performance, while Muhammad Riaz Khan, Shoaib Ahmed and M. Ammar Masood would get the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. News anchors Maria Zulfiqar, Adil Shahzaib, Hammad Hassan and Tasawwar Arafat are also among the recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
The sports category includes senior boxing coach Atta Mohammad Kakar and martial artist and yoga pioneer Dr Waseem A Tai, both receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Wrestler Bashir Bhola, shooter Kishmala Talat, squash player Noor Zaman, boxer Muhammad Waseem and cricketer Sadiq Muhammad would receive the President’s Award for Pride of Performance, while athlete Faiqa Riaz would get the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
A substantial portion of the awards recognizes gallantry and public service by security personnel. Dozens of Federal Constabulary personnel would be posthumously honored with Sitara-e-Shujaat, including Nazakat Ali, Sepoy Muhammad Usman, Sepoy Mina Badshah, Sepoy Ibrar Ali, Sepoy Noorul Hasan, Sepoy Taza Gul and Lance Naik Muhammad Nazif.
Police personnel, Intelligence Bureau officials and civilians tapped for gallantry awards include HC Mumtaz Ahmad, Muhammad Yousaf Reki, Muhammad Afzal, Hidayatullah Bulaidi, Police Constable Muhammad Khumari, SHO Lutuf Ali Khosa and Group Captain Asim Tariq. Senior officers including IGP Abdul Kareem, DIG Waqas Hassan and DIG Tanveer Hussain Tunio would also receive the Sitara-e-Imtiaz for gallantry and public service.
The list also recognizes foreign nationals for their services to Pakistan. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak has been recommended for the Nishan-e-Pakistan, while Nishan-e-Quaid-e-Azam has been proposed posthumously for physicians Dr. Jal Rattanji Patel and Dr. Jal Daeboo.
Among other foreign dignitaries included in the recommendations are 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. Several other Saudi, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, Chinese and international figures would also receive the Hilal-e-Pakistan, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Pakistan and Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam.
Overseas Pakistanis have also been included, with Muhammad Asad recommended posthumously for Nishan-e-Imtiaz and Ghulam Murtaza, Ahmed Ali and Sardar Muhammad Ilyas Khan receiving the Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Other Pakistanis living in the U.A.E., Japan, South Korea, Britain, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy and other countries have tapped for the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
The awards recognize contributions across a broad range of fields and are due to be conferred in accordance with the presidential civil awards program.