ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday conferred Nishan-e-Imtiaz on late Begum Nusrat Bhutto at an investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Every year, the President awards Pakistan's highest national civil awards in a ceremony on the occasion of Pakistan Day on March 23.
The President conferred the award on Begum Nusrat Bhutto in recognition of her meritorious services in the field of public service.
Sanam Bhutto, daughter of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, received the award from the President.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fahmida Mirza, federal ministers, chiefs of armed forces, high ranking civil and military officers, diplomats and prominent personalities from all walks of life.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also attended the ceremony.
According to the citation read on the occasion, late Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the wife of President and Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was a well known personality in Pakistan who struggled for democracy for four decades.
During the period from 1958 to 1966, as wife of a Federal Minister, she played a pivotal role in various social welfare institutions and was also actively involved in programmes for the welfare of women in Pakistan.
In 1977, when the elected government was overthrown she led the historic struggle against dictatorship.
She was sent to jail several times and even underwent the traumatic experience of solitary confinement.
In 1978, when Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was implicated in a murder case, she was severely wounded in the Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore,
However, she continued her struggle and provided leadership to the people's cause with unflinching resolve.
She suffered the shock of martyrdom of her husband with patience and forbearance.
After the martyrdom of her husband she started leading the people. No tribute can do justice to Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the mother of democracy and to her efforts for consolidation of democracy in the country.
She was a brave mother of a family whose every member lived and died for democracy.
Truly the Bhutto narrative is beyond history, it belongs to the realm of legends and Begum Nusrat Bhutto is proud mother of the legends.
She was conferred the award of "Nishan-i-Imtiaz' in 1996 by the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
In view of her outstanding services to the democracy, she was honoured with the title of Madar-e-Jumhuriat in October, 2011.
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