LAHORE: President Dr. Arif Alvi in a ceremony held at Governor House awarded ‘Shaan Pakistan’ award to 38 Corona Heroes who fought on the front line during the Corona pandemic.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar were also given this award. The families of martyred doctors were also amongst the recipients of the Shaan Pakistan Award.

Punjab Energy Minister Dr. Akhtar Malik, provincial Minister for Housing Mian Mahmood Al-Rasheed, Samina Alvi, wife of the President of Pakistan, Begum Perveen Sarwar, wife of Governor Punjab, Political Secretary to Governor Mian Kashif Iqbal, renowned singer Ali Zafar, Gohar Ijaz from business community, Dr. Amjad Saqib and the families of the martyred doctors and medical staff also participated.

During the ceremony, Dr. Mustafa Kamal, Vice Chancellor of Nishtar Medical University, who died due to Corona, Dr. Hafiz Maqsood Ahmed, martyred Professor of Services Hospital, MS of DJQ Hospital Teaching Hospital, Dr. Masood Qasri, and other martyred doctors received the award. While Gohar Ijaz, Anwar A. Ghani, Mian Talat Mahmood, Mian Anjum Nisar and Mian Ahsan from the business community and Dr. Amjad Saqib, Chairman of the Akhuwat Foundation, Muhammad Abdul Shakoor of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Muhammad Ali of Al-Maida Trust, Perveen Sarwar, vice-chair Sarwar Foundation received the Shaan Pakistan award among others who contributed to the war against Coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the ceremony, President Arif Alvi said the whole world was recognizing Pakistan’s strategy against Corona due to which we overcame this pandemic successfully. The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan had reached out to the poor under the Ehsaas program and has set an example of philanthropy, he added. He said the spirit shown by Pakistani philanthropists in the war against Corona is also an example to the whole world. Whenever an adversity strikes, the Pakistani nation faces it collectively. “There are still dangers, so the public should continue following the Coronavirus SOPs,” he said.

Mohammad Sarwar said that the heroes who fought on the front line against Corona will always be remembered in history. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s smart lockdown policy has also been successful in the war against Coronavirus due to which Pakistan has successfully overcome the Corona Pandemic. The federal and provincial governments have also stood by the unemployed during the Corona crisis and we did not let anyone go to bed hungry, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020