Dawoodi Bohra leader conferred with ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’

Dubai: Sultan al-Bohra Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community was conferred with ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’, the country’s highest civil award in a Special Investiture Ceremony on Tuesday at the President House in Islamabad.

President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi presented the award to Sultan al-Bohra in the presence of Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori and Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. Shahzada Idris Badruddin, brother of Syedna, Shahzada Jaferussadiq Imaduddin, Shahzada Taha Najmuddin and Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin, sons of Syedna and senior members of the Dawoodi Bohra community were also present.

Syedna Saifuddin has been conferred with the prestigious award in recognition of his continued contribution to social services such as health, education and the environment, and for promoting global peace and harmony. During the award ceremony, Syedna was praised for his diverse initiatives for fostering socio-economic development in Pakistan.

Syedna is the fourth Indian national to receive this highest civil award from Pakistan. Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister of India, was the first Indian to be honoured with Nishan-e-Pakistan, which was conferred on him by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990. Later, famous Indian actor the late Dilip Kumar was given this award in 1998 and Kashmiri leader Ali Geelani was also awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan in 2020.

Fourth Indian to get Nishan-e-Pakistan

Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award in the country, is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exceptional global leadership, made substantial contributions to various fields, and exhibited a deep commitment to the betterment of society.

Each year, the announcement of civilian and military awards is made on August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day, and the awards are conferred the following year on the Pakistan National Day, observed on March 23. But in special cases, these dates are not followed and the investiture can be arranged anytime.

Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill

Regarded as an ‘Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill’, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has dedicated his life to the service of the community and the betterment of society at large, with a special emphasis on cultural and socio-economic development. Throughout his travels across the world, Syedna encourages community members to fully integrate into the countries they live in, encouraging them to take pride both in their Islamic heritage as well as the heritage and achievements of the countries they live in.

Syedna arrived in Karachi on November 20 upon the invitation of the Government of Pakistan and Dawoodi Bohra community members. He arrived in Islamabad on Monday December 4 after a brief stopover in Hyderabad. During his stay in Karachi, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin inaugurated the Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin School of Law at Karachi University. The initiative comes in succession to a line of endeavours undertaken to promote educational progress in Pakistan. Like his predecessors, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has always held a special regard for Pakistan and continues to