KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari decorated Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad with Nishan-i-Imtiaz, the highest civil award, at a simple ceremony held at the Governor’s House here on Tuesday.

The award is in recognition of Dr Ebad’s services in the field of public service as governor over the past 10 years.

Federal ministers Rehman Malik, Naveed Qamar and Dr Farooq Sattar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain, Federal Ombudsman Salman Farooqui, provincial ministers Pir Mazharul Haq, Manzoor Wasan, Syed Murad Ali Shah and Syed Sardar Ahmad and Adviser to the Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqui attended the ceremony.

The citation read out on the occasion said that Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, who was appointed as the youngest governor of Sindh on Dec 27, 2002, had become the longest serving governor in the country. At the time of his appointment the province was facing major socio-cultural, economic and socio-political challenges. He envisioned Sindh as a harmonised developed civil society and worked hard in that regard.

Governor Ebad made significant contributions in diverse sectors, such as foreign investment, infrastructure development, law & order, education, interfaith harmony and relief activities.

During his tenure a massive infrastructure, in terms of road networks, flyovers, bridges, underpasses, water supply schemes, public transport system, public housing and support facilities were built.

Earlier, according to official sources, President Zardari exchanged views with the governor on the political situation, and law and order and stressed the need for taking every measure for restoring peace in Karachi.

He also called for timely completion of development projects.