Dubai: Prominent Dubai-based Pakistani expatriate Sadruddin Hashwani has become the first businessman to receive the top civilian award: Nishan-e-Imtiaz.
Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) is the highest honour given to any civilian in Pakistan to recognise their achievements and outstanding services for the country. President of Pakistan Arif Alvi conferred the award upon Hashwani at the Pakistan National Day ceremony on March 23 at President House in Islamabad.
“I am humbled to receive the highest honour from the government,” said 78-year-old Hashwani. His son Murtaza Hashwani pushed his wheel-chair to the stage to help him get the award.
Hashwani who is called ‘Sadru’ by his close friends, is the founder and chairman of Hashoo Group. He is a very resilient and patriotic Pakistani as he continued to expand his business and community services in Pakistan despite 2008 bombing of his Marriot Hotel in Islamabad, which killed 54 people. He narrowly escaped the bombing.
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I am humbled to receive the highest honour from the government.
After the incident, he moved to Dubai with his family but remained committed to his business, charity work and community services back in Pakistan.
A self-made man from a middle-class background, Hashwani is among the top richest men. He is among the eminent citizens in Pakistan and best-known philanthropist.
Hashwani has also setup Hashoo Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that has worked extensively to address humanitarian and social concerns in education, healthcare, social protection, disaster risk reduction and livelihoods in communities across the country.
The foundation also contributes towards priorities of youth employment and women’s empowerment. Through its diversified programmes throughout Pakistan, the foundation has benefitted over one million people and created economic opportunities for millions more.
Founded by Hashwani in 1960, Hashoo Group is a global enterprise, comprising over 20 independently-operating companies. Based in Pakistan, the group operates across three continents, with a mission to ensure long-term profitability, increase shareholder value, provide career opportunities, and continuously support the development of the communities where it operates.
From its humble origins in cotton trading, the group has expanded its expertise to an array of industries, comprising hospitality, oil and gas exploration and production, information technology, investment, minerals, mining, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and commodities.
In 1988, the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi conferred the Outstanding Professional Contribution Award upon Hashwani.
In 2014, the Kingdom of Belgium conferred the Award of Knight-Commander in the Order of Leopold II upon Hashwani in recognition of his services to the Kingdom of Belgium. The Order of Leopold II, instituted by the King Leopold II in 1900, is awarded for loyal services to the Belgian monarch and as a sign of his personal gratitude.
His success, Hashwani believes, has come against the odds and is due to his strong faith and the blessings of the Almighty and his forefathers.
Hashwani also contribute Pak 60 million to a fund created by the former chief justice of Pakistan to build dams in the country to overcome power and water crisis.
Hashwani is an outspoken businessman who dares to challenge the system and the politicians. He exposed a number of political figures in his biography ‘Truth’ released in 2014.
