KARACHI: Pakistan Day observed with enthusiasm
KARACHI, March 23: Pakis-tan Day was observed with great fervour and national spirit in this city of the Quaid-i-Azam.
The day dawned with a 21-gun salute. Special prayers were offered at mosques for the progress, prosperity, security and integrity of the country.
Print media brought out special supplements and electronic media aired special programmes to mark the occasion and highlight the significance of the day.
An impressive change of guard ceremony was held at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Abdul Qadir Halepota and members of his cabinet visited the mausoleum to pay homage to the father of the nation. They laid floral wreaths at the mazar and offered fateha.
Leaders of various political parties, representatives of the armed forces, DG Rangers and City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal also visited the mazar, laid floral wreaths, offered fateha and paid homage to the Quaid-i-Azam.
The national flag was hoisted atop all public buildings, state-owned institutions and many private buildings. People in large numbers visited the mazar in the evening to pay homage to the founder of the country
Civil Awards
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad gave away civil awards to 27 recipients at an impressive ceremony held at the Governor’s House here on Sunday.
The ceremony was attended, among others, by caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Abdul Qadir Halepota, members of caretaker Sindh cabinet, representatives of the armed forces, senior government officials and notables.
The governor decorated eight distinguished personalities with Sitara-i-Imtiaz, seven with Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and 12 with President’s Award for Pride of Performance.
The recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz are: Prof Mohammed Ajmal Khan, Director Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation, University of Karachi; Prof A.Q.K. Rajput, Vice-Chancellor of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro; Prof Matin Ahmed Khan, life research professor and Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences, Karachi; Shaikh Mohammed Munir, Chairman of the Din Group of Industries, Karachi; Mian Zahid Hussain, Group Chief Executive, Kenlubes International, Karachi; Liaquat Habib Merchant, Liaquat Merchant Associates, Karachi; Pirzada Syed Inquilab Matri, Chief Editor of Daily Millat, Karachi; Khawaja Iqbal Hassan, President and CEO of the NIB Bank, Karachi.
The recipients of President’s Award for Pride of Performance are: Syed Abdul Mujeeb, Associate Professor/Blood Bank Officer, JPMC, Karachi; Gopal Das of Hathungo, Tehsil Khipro, District Sanghar; Nahid Raza, DHA Phase-V, Karachi; Gulbahar Bano, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi; Sultana Siddiqui, Karachi; Abdul Karim Baloch, Karachi; Abdul Qadir Junejo, Chairman of the Sindhi Language Authority, Hyderabad; Mansoor Ahmed Rahi, Islamabad; Noorul Huda Shah, Hyderabad; Dr Qamarunnisa Abbasi; Next of kin (widow) of late Dr Noor Nabi Tanveer Abbasi, Lahore; Ms Nida Waseem, Karachi.
The recipients of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz are: Mohammed Imran, Chief Medical Technologist, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi; Prof Yunus Shaikh, Principal and Project Director, Cadet College Larkana; Prof Masood Hameed Khan, Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chancellor of the DUHS, Karachi; Mashkoor Raza Khan, DHA, Karachi; Irshad Hasan Khan, Trainer and Consultant and former Director of the Pakistan Institute of Management, Karachi; Liaquat Ali Khan, Executive Director, Parks and Horticulture, CDGK; and Rashid Khoso, next of kin (son) of Late Haji Abdul Rasool Khoso, village Madadpur Khoso, Taluka Thul, District Jacobabad.—APP