President Asif Ali Zardari approved 355 national civil awards on Friday to honor achievements across science, medicine, the arts, and public service. He also approved military awards for 1,172 personnel from the armed forces and civil armed forces. The awards were announced on August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day. Officials will formally present them at an investiture ceremony on Pakistan Day, March 23.
Key Highlights
- President Zardari approves 355 civil awards and 1,172 military awards
- UAE’s Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak receives Nishan-i-Pakistan, the top award for a foreign national
- 91 gallantry awards go to security and law enforcement personnel
- Tamgha-i-Imtiaz remains the largest single award category on this year’s list
- 46 recipients receive the President’s Pride of Performance award
Civil awards have been approved for 355 Pakistani and foreign nationals, recognising services in public life, media, sports, diplomacy and other fields. The recipients will be honoured on Pakistan Day 2027. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/Idl6YaSN9J
— ProPakistani (@ProPakistaniPK) August 15, 2026
Top Honors Go to Foreign Dignitaries and Public Figures
The Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil award for a foreign national, went to Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak of the UAE. Two physicians who once treated Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dr. Jal Rattanji Patel and Dr. Jal Daeboo, both now deceased, received the Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam more than 70 years after their service.
Seven recipients earned the Nishan-i-Imtiaz. These included poet Asad Muhammad Khan alongside government officials Ishaq Dar, Mohsin Naqvi, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, and Bilal Azhar Kayani. The late scholar Muhammad Asad also received the honor. Six foreign dignitaries, including Saudi Prince Saud bin Nayef and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, received the Hilal-i-Pakistan. Educationist Carey Schofield, who works in Chitral, received the Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam.
Wide Recognition Across Science, Medicine, and the Arts
Fifteen recipients received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, spanning technology, medicine, and broadcasting. Among them were Interactive Group CEO Dr. Shahid Mahmud, transplant surgeon Dr. Faisal Saud Dar, and HUM Network’s Sultana Siddiqi. Five senior public servants also received the award, including DG IB Fuad Asadullah and FBR chief Rashid Mahmood Lagrial.
The Sitara-i-Imtiaz went to a wide range of professionals. In science and education, recipients included Kohat University VC Prof. Dr. Syed Zafar Ilyas and PIDE VC Dr. Rashid Amjad. Two of the five medical honorees received their awards posthumously: bone marrow transplantation pioneer Prof. Dr. Tahir Shamsi and infectious disease specialist Dr. Naseem Salahuddin. Ten artists were recognized, including actor Balqees Bano and painter Raja Changez Sultan. In literature, honorees included novelist Hashim Nadeem and historian Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar. Twenty-eight public servants also received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, alongside gallantry honors for three Punjab police officers recognized for their role in the Kacha operation.
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz Leads This Year’s List in Size
The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz made up the largest single category of awards this year. Sixteen educationists received the honor, including LUMS Dean Prof. Dr. Faisal Bari and AIOU VC Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood. Four medical professionals were recognized, along with twelve artists spanning acting, music, and traditional crafts. Ten literary figures received the award, including the late historian Muhammad Siddique G. Memon, honored posthumously. Seven journalists and several religious and philanthropic figures rounded out this category.
Pride of Performance Honors Artists and Athletes
Forty-six people received the President’s Pride of Performance award, with most coming from the performing and visual arts. Thirty arts recipients were named, including actors Sania Saeed and Syeda Maria Wasti, and musicians such as sarangi player Zohaib Hassan and the late folk singer Talib Hussain Dard. Eight literary figures and six athletes also received the honor, including squash player Noor Zaman, boxer Muhammad Waseem, and cricketer Sadiq Muhammad.
Security Personnel Dominate Gallantry Awards
Security and law enforcement personnel received the single largest share of this year’s honors outside the main civil award categories. In total, 91 gallantry awards were approved. Forty-eight recipients received the Sitara-i-Shuja’at, 24 received the Tamgha-i-Shuja’at, and 19 officials received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz specifically for gallantry and public service. These honors came in addition to the military awards approved for 1,172 serving members of the armed forces and civil armed forces, underscoring the significant role security personnel played in this year’s recognition list.
Taken together, this year’s awards reflect a broad cross-section of Pakistani achievement, from decades-old contributions to the country’s founding leader to recent acts of bravery by police and security officials. The full list spans generations, professions, and even national borders, offering a wide snapshot of who Pakistan chose to honor on its Independence Day.
