President Alvi confers Nishan-i-Pakistan on Syed Ali Geelani

ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi has conferred Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil award, on noted Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani in recognition of his decades-long struggle for Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

A Hurriyat leader received the award from the president on Geelani’s behalf at an investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, following hoisting of national flag to mark the 74th Independence Day of Pakistan.

First Lady Samina Alvi, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, federal ministers and services chiefs attended the ceremony.

Addressing the flag hoisting ceremony, President Alvi expressed solidarity with Kashmiris, who, he said, have been facing the worst human rights violations at the hands of Indian occupation forces, particularly after August 5 move of the occupied region’s annexation.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to Kashmiris in their cause, adding Pakistan will not leave Kashmiris alone. He said Kashmir issue has been taken up at the UN Security Council four times during the last one year, which is a huge success of Pakistan’s foreign policy.