Pakistan honours Field Marshal Asim Munir, PAF chief, other heroes on Independence Day

On the occasion of Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day, a grand ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where prominent civil and military figures were honoured for their outstanding national services.

The event was attended by the President, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Senate Chairman, Speaker of the National Assembly, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, and other high-ranking dignitaries.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Atta Tarar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Rana Sanaullah were conferred with the Nishan-e-Imtiaz. Ishaq Dar received the honour for effectively presenting Pakistan’s stance at the diplomatic level, while Bilawal Bhutto was also recognised for his diplomatic contributions.

Field Marshal Asim Munir and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar were awarded the Hilal-e-Jurat, while Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf were decorated with the Nishan-e-Imtiaz.

Members of the Prime Minister’s diplomatic delegation also received accolades, including Senator Sherry Rehman, Faisal Subzwari, Hina Rabbani Khar, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Bushra Anjum, Umar Farooq, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Musadik Malik, and Tariq Fatemi, who were awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz.

Pakistan Air Force pilots, including Wing Commander Bilal Raza, Wing Commander Hammad Ibn Masood, Squadron Leader Muhammad Yousaf Khan, Usama Ashfaq, Muhammad Hassan Anees, Talal Hassan, Fida Muhammad Khan, and Muhammad Ashhad, were honoured with the Sitara-e-Jurat.

Martyrs were also recognised, including Lance Havaldar Amir Shiraz, Lance Naik Ikramullah, and Sepoy Adeel Akbar, who were posthumously awarded the Tamgha-e-Jurat. Sepoy Nisar Ahmed Shaheed was awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat posthumously, along with Lieutenant Generals Muhammad Asim Malik, Nauman Zakria, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Syed Amir Raza, Shahid Imtiaz, and Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

Other recipients of the Sitara-e-Basalat included Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz, Rear Admiral Abdul Muneeb, Rear Admiral Faisal Amin, Major General Wajid Aziz, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Ihsan ul Haque, Major General Kashif Abdullah, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, Rear Admiral Shehzad Hameed, Major General Muhammad Jawad Tariq, and Major General Tajdeed Mumtaz.

Air Commodores Attaullah Zaib, Zia Aftab, Muhammad Nauman Ali Khan, Ali Javed Hashmi, and Sajjad Haider, as well as Captain Asif Ameen and Captain Muhammad Haider Ali, were also honoured with the award.