Aaj TVs news anchor among 30 other senior and junior figures from different walks of life was awarded the Benazir Women Excellence Award (BWEA) on Sunday. The ongoing political crisis in the country would soon be over, as the Pakistan Peoples Party led government and PML-N leaders were in contact seeking a reconciliatory solution to the turmoil, Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain said.
He stated this while talking to media on the sidelines of a joint event of "Benazir Women Excellence Awards" and 5th international conference on "Womens Leadership: A Tribute to a Legendary Leader and the Biggest Honour Of Our Country," held here at a local hotel.
Besides Dr Asim, Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro was the joint chief guest at the gathering, which was attended by the prominent figures from media, politics and civil society.
Shaista Iqbal, an anchor from the leading Aaj television channel, was declared the best new talent in the field of news casting. "For this honour I am thankful to the Almighty Allah, my ever-encouraging mother and of course the Aaj Television which gave me such a remarkable exposure that brought me to this fascinating moment," the soft-spoken news anchor said.
Other best performers who won the award included ANPs political leader Begum Naseem Wali Khan, social worker Begum Akhtar Rashid Ibrahim, educationist Anita Ghulam Ali, poetess late Pervin Shakir, health expert Dr Sarwar Zuberi, banker Begum Akram Khatoon, army officer Captain Qurat-ul-Ain, civil servant Sumbal Sheikh, journalist Zubeda Mustafa, athlete Kiran Khan, Naat Khawan Professor Muneeba Sheikh, radio anchor Zubeda Tariq, regional anchor Naila, TV anchor Jasmeen Manzoor, morning entertainer Nadia Khan, senior news anchor Surayya Shahab, fashion designer Maheen Khan, parliamentarian Begum Abida Hussain, political activist Tehmeena Daultana of PML-N, political leader Nelofer Bakhtyar of PML-Q and Fouzia Wahab of PPP, model Nadia Hussain, entertainer Bushra Ansari, singer Nayyara Noor, writer Bano Qudsia, drama actress Roohi Bano, film actress Zeba Muhammad Ali, joniour Naat Khawan Hooray Rafique and junior drama actress Javeria Saud.
A special award was also conferred upon Dr Fehmida Mirza for being the first women Speaker of National Assembly. Dr Asim said the basis for reconciliation likely to surface very soon, would be the same on which the dispute had arisen. He was positive when asked if the patch up between PML-N and PPP was likely during the next 72 hours.
Earlier, in his written address to the gathering, the PMs advisor paid rich tribute to the PPP late chairperson Benazir Bhutto who, he said, was a role model for women of the entire country and had set the example of a woman not less powerful than men.
In his address, Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, terming the slain party leader a motherly figure to him, presented a "comparative analysis" of Benazir Bhutto and her self-declared political match Nawaz Sharif who, he said, had grown under the patronage of a dictator former president General Ziaul Haq. Begum Naseem Wali Khan, Begum Abida Hussain, Shahi Syed and some award winners also addressed the womens event.