MUZAFFARGARH: A prestigious ceremony ‘Shan-i-Muzaffargarh’ was held here on Sunday to confer awards on those who brought laurels to the district by achieving excellence in various fields.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Ehtesham Anwar said the district administration decided to honour the distinguished people and it was for the first time in the 225-year history of Muzaffargarh that such an initiative had been taken.

He said he constituted a committee led by Government Graduate College Principal Muhammad Khalil Rehman Farooqi, a girls’ college principal and Malik Khair Muhammad Budh to shortlist the prominent personalities. The committee, he said, selected 18 names for the awards.

He said folk singer the late Pathaney Khan was awarded ‘Tamgha-i-Hilal Muzaffargarh’. His son Iqbal Pathaney Khan received the award on his behalf.

Touqir Nasir was honoured with an award for which he specially came from Karachi. He told the audience that it was a memorable day for him and he could recall the memories of his association with Muzaffargarh from where he did his graduation.

Former Punjab governor Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar got ‘Tamgha-i-Hilal Muzaffargarh’. In his address, he reminisced the days when he worked under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He said the government was making efforts to amicably solve the Kashmir issue.

Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmad received ‘Tamgha-i-Nishan Muzaffargarh’ on behalf of his father the late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan who was the founder of the Pakistan Democratic Party.

Former chief justice of Pakistan Syed Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Mian Afrasiab Mehdi, a former deputy high commissioner, were given ‘Tamgha-i-Muzaffargarh’.

An award was also given to Muhammad Fiaz, a national wheelchair cricket team member. Retired Maj Gen Muhammad Ashraf Tabassum also received an award.

Dr Ejaz Langrial, a martyred police officer, was given an award and his son Arsalan Langrial received it. Other awards were given to Maj Jahanzaib Shaheed, Sardar Abdul Hameed Khan Dasti, Sardar Koura Khan Jatoi and Ali Javed Kashfi.

The participants thanked the deputy commissioner for arranging the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2019