LAHORE, May 11: The Human Rights Society of Pakistan (HRSP) in its 27th annual ceremony on Sunday awarded four gold medals, including one to the lawyers community, for its struggle for the independence of judiciary and the rule of law.

Another award was given to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust and Cancer Research Centre.

Two medals were awarded to women rights activist from Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Begum Jan, and former federal information minister and media expert, Javed Jabbar, for undertaking a social welfare project for the supply of potable drinking water and setting up a chain of schools for the poor in the remote areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

The annual award ceremony was held at a local hotel with HRSP chairman S.M.Zafar in the chair and attended by a large number of human rights activists, representatives of lawyers, writers, media men and other sections of civil society.

In his brief address, HRSP chairman S.M.Zafar said the current year had been declared by the society as “the year of the people” for their struggle for the restoration of democracy, independence of judiciary, and supremacy of the Constitution, spearheaded by the lawyers community.

The award for the lawyers community was received by Punjab Bar Council vice-chairman Muhammad Aslam Sindhu after a citation read out by Supreme Court Bar Association former president Abid Hassan Minto who declared that the lawyers were determined to continue their struggle for the independence of judiciary.

The award for the Shaukat Kanum Memorial Trust was received by its chief executive Dr Faisal Sultan in the absence of its founder Imran Khan for its ceaseless efforts against cancer.

The third award was given to women rights activist Begum Jan who had been decorated with International Women of Courage Award in March last by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a ceremony held in Washington. In her absence the award was received by her husband Dr Shehryar of FATA. She was the first woman from Pakistan to receive the international award and one of the seven women selected from as many countries.

Other countries were Fiji, Iraq, Kosovo, Paraguay, Palestine Authority and Somalia.

The fourth award was given to Javed Jabbar for running his social welfare organisation, “Ma Baily” (My Friend) which provides safe potable water to the rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Mr Jabbar said his organisation was serving the poor and downtrodden people, particularly belonging to the minority communities including Hindus.