ISLAMABAD, June 30: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Friday conferred Sitara-i-Eisaar and Tamgha-i-Eisaar on individuals and organisations for outstanding humanitarian services in the wake of the October 8, 2005 devastating earthquake in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also attended the investiture ceremony at the Aiwan-i-Sadr.

The recipients included volunteers, members of civil society, armed forces personnel, international rescue agencies, the UN family, philanthropists and media.

A seven-year old Turkish girl, Erva Yelem, who donated her most prized possession — gold bangles — out of empathy for quake victims, was among the 138 recipients of awards.

President Musharraf received the child affectionately and announced $5,000 in recognition for her spirit of sacrifice for the suffering children amid prolonged appreciation by the august gathering.

PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) Chairman Altaf M. Saleem, Sheikh Liaquat Hussain, Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation, Faisal Eidhi, Trustee Eidhi Welfare Foundation and Mrs Nasreem Mahmud Kasuri were among the recipients of Sitara-i-Eisaar. Abrarul Haq, Shahzad Roy, Fakhar-i-Alam and Jawad Ahmad were also conferred the award.

Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Dr France Donnay received Sitara-i-Eisaar on behalf of the UN family organizations.

Those who received the Sitara-i-Eisaar posthumously included two young Turkish engineers — Ceneck Yakin and Ufuk Arsalan — who offered the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives while protecting their fellow beings in the hour of calamity.

President Musharraf also announced Rs100,000 cash award for Ghulam Fareed Sabri of Faisalabad, a vegetable vendor, for showing personal courage, commitment and dedication for saving lives of those trapped in the rubble of the capital’s collapsed tower.

He also announced Rs100,000 each for Shabir Hussain and Syed Qaisar Shah, who received commendation certificates for their volunteerism and devotion following the tragedy on the morning of October 8.

The recipients of award from the armed forces included Erra Deputy Chairman Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed.

Major Naeemullah Khattak of the Army Aviation was conferred the award for his relentless flights in the difficult hilly terrain for rescue and relief of the victims while Lt-Col Mazhar Ahmed Chand of the Engineering Battalion was decorated for his outstanding, round-the-clock efforts for restoration of land routes in the quake-hit areas in a record time of 28 days as against the target of three months.

JCO Subedar Mahmood Ahmed of the AK Regiment, whose brave efforts saved scores of school children lying in the debris of classrooms was also the recipient of the award.—APP