LAHORE, March 23: Governor Khalid Maqbool distributed 23 civil awards on behalf of President Pervez Musharraf here at the Governor’s House on Wednesday. The ceremony was also attended by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, Speaker Afzal Sahi, Deputy Speaker Sardar Shaukat Husain Mazari, provincial ministers and administrative secretaries. Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool cited the services of the recipients of the awards. The governor gave away Nishan-i-Imtiaz to nine scholars. Poet Munir Niazi was given the medal for the second time for introducing new trends in literature.

Others include King Edward Medical College orthopaedic surgeon Dr Syed Mohammad Owais, Government College University’s Prof of Botany Dr Ikramul Haq, Azad Jammu and Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Dr Manzoor Husain Khan, Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex’s Prof of Nephrology Dr Tahir Shafi, Kinnaird College’s Prof Emeritus Myra Phailbus, FIA Director General Tariq Pervaiz and CID Deputy Director Khwaja Najam Javed.

The widow of Pakistan Steel Mills’ former chairman the late Lt-Gen Mohammad Afzal Khan (retired) received his posthumous award.

The recipients of the Pride of Performance Award include writer Mohammad Mansha Yad, poetess Shabnum Shakeel, English poet and teacher Aurangzeb Hashmi and former principal of the Government College M. Siddique Kaleem, PTV’s Islamabad General Manager Khwaja Najmul Hasan, singers Arif Lohar and Tarannum Naz, Prof Abdur Rauf Roofi, Islamabad Lok Virsa Director Mazharul Islam and lawn tennis champion Aitsamul Haq.

Dr Zahid Hafeez Shaikh was also given the medal for his expertise in eye-grafting. The posthumous medal of sports journalist the late Imtiaz Sipra was received by his brother, Justice Sajjad Ahmad Sipra (retired).

The recipients of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz include singer Ibrarul Haq, Shalimar School of Special Education Vice-Principal Farzana Javed and National Talent Pool’s social worker Mrs Georgenia.

Pride of Performance awards were given to Rawalpindi DPO Syed Marrawat Ali Shah and Islamabad FIA Deputy Director Malik Ghulab Khan and agriculturist Chaudhry Mohammad Nawaz Dhillon.