Punjab Governor, Salmaan Taseer on Monday conferred civil awards on 44 personalities belonging to different professions and walk of life on behalf of President on the occasion of Pakistan Day. Sitara-e-Imtiaz had been awarded to seven, while Pride of Performance to 18 and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz had been given away 19 personalities.
Punjab Chief Secretary, Najeib Ullah Malik, read the citation of those who received awards in the ceremony. Senior civil and military officers and other elite personalities attended the function.
Talking to the media, Governor Salmaan Taseer said Pakistani nation is celebrating the day of national importance with full dedication and devotion.
"On 23 March, 1940 a resolution was passed for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of subcontinent, in which everyone was also assured equal opportunity to practice his/her religion. So we should pledge to promote of national reconciliation on the occasion of Pakistan Day and reiterate that we will pay attention to solve problems of the people, instead of confrontation," he said.
Sitara-e-Imtiaz:
Those who had been awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz included prominent singer Surrayia Multanikar; renowned poet, Dr Khursheed Rizvi; Vice Chancellor University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Habib-ur-Rehman; prominent mathematicians Dr Saleem Asghar; Dr Naseem Ahmed; social worker associated with Orthopaedic Unit of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Ghias ud Din and Airport Manager, Multan, Syed Aamir Mahmood, who was working there at the time of Fokker plane incident.
Pride of Performance:
Pride of Performance had been awarded following personalities, included lady agriculturist associated with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr Shfqat Farooq; physicist attached with Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Sciences and Technology, Dr Javed Iqbal Akhtar; Dean National University of Sciences and Technology, Dr Syed Muhammad Hassan Zaidi; chemist in Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Muhammad Mazhar; mathematician of COMSATS, Dr Muhammad Aslam Noor; Co-ordinator European Nuclear Research Project in National University of Sciences and Technology, Dr Arshad Ali; chief cameraman PTV Islamabad Center Muhammad Younus Khan; photographer of Press Information Department ,Amanoeel Philip; renowned columnist Abbas Atahar, Muhammad Izhar ul Haq, prominent fiction writer Dr Anwaar Ahmed; Joint Executive Director Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad, Dr Shaukat Hameed Kiyani; Siraiki singer, Parveen Nazar; actress Rehana Siddiqui; instrumentalist Shabbir Hussain; classical singer, Shafqat Ali Khan and Musician Master Manzoor Hussain. Meanwhile, the Pride of Performance Award for late Professor of Balochistan University, Professor Dr Safdar Ali Kiyani was received by his widow Ummat-un-Nisa Begum.
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz:
Following personalities had been awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, included plant physiologist of NIAB, Dr Muhammad Yaseen Ashraf; Principal Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Sciences and Technology, Dr Muhammad Nasir Khan; virologist of National Institute of Health Islamabad, Syed Sohail Zahoor Zaidi; researcher of National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, Professor Tayyab Hasnain; Dean Barani Agriculture University Bio-Chemistry, Dr Azra Khannam; bio-technologist in Agriculture University, Faisalabad, Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Khan; professor of Centre for Advance Studies in Engineering, Dr Shoaib Ahmed Khan; Principal Designer Control System of Lahore Islamabad Motorway and introducer of computerised toll tax system in Pakistan, Professor Dr Farrukh Kamran; professor of radiology of Fatima Jinnah Medical College Lahore, Dr Safdar Ali Malik; Chairperson Punjab University Psychology Department, Dr Yasmeen Nilofer Farooqi; sculptor Kausar Jahan, actor Ghauur Akhtar, prominent writer Dr Answar Sadeed, Dr Aslam Ansari, Dr Tauseef Tabassum, Yasmeen Hameed as well as Yasar Mahmood Kiyani associated with Civil Defence Rawalpindi, Chief Technical Officer National Database Warehouse Islamabad Usman Yousuf Mubeen and Inspector Muhammad Sabir appointed at FIA Gujranwala.