ISLAMABAD: In recognition of his humanitarian work toward Pakistan, President Dr. Arif Alvi will honor Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, with one of the highest civilian awards in the country, the UAE Embassy tweeted on Sunday.
The Hilal-e-Pakistan (or Crescent of Pakistan) has been awarded to the UAE royal in recognition of his efforts “in the humanitarian and developmental fields,” the post read.
According to a statement released by the government, the award will be given at an investiture ceremony in Islamabad on March 23 next year as the nation marks Pakistan Day.
On August 14, which is Pakistan’s Independence Day, President Alvi had approved the names of 116 individuals – from Pakistan and some foreign countries – who would be given the award in recognition of their excellence and courage in their respective fields.
Pakistan and UAE enjoy close bilateral ties with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan visiting the country in January this year.
It followed two visits by Prime Minister Imran Khan to the UAE last year, to seek economic assistance to overcome the country’s balance of payments crisis.
In December, the UAE announced a $3 billion financial support package for the same.
According to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, around 1.6 million expatriates live and work in the UAE and remit more than $4.5 billion to the country every year.
UAE’s deputy PM to receive Pakistan’s highest civilian award
UAE’s deputy PM to receive Pakistan’s highest civilian award
- President Alvi will confer the honor in an investiture ceremony on Pakistan Day in March next year
- The award is in recognition of humanitarian and developmental work by the UAE royal
Pakistan PM’s aide urges parents to vaccinate children against polio in campaign starting Feb. 2
- Islamabad last year conducted six campaigns that reduced cases to 30 from 74 in 2024
- Pakistan targets more than 45 million children in first immunization campaign of 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq on Saturday urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against the disease as the country gears up to launch the first nationwide immunization campaign of this year on Feb. 2, seeking to curb the spread of the virus.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated vaccination for every child under five.
Pakistan aims to vaccinate more than 45 million children against polio during the first nationwide immunization drive of 2026, according to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC).
The anti-polio campaign will be launched on Feb. 2 and run till Feb. 8. It will run simultaneously in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are the only two countries where polio remains an endemic.
“Public cooperation is crucial for polio eradication,” Farooq said in a statement. “Parents must ensure that their children receive polio drops in every campaign.”
The NEOC last year conducted six nationwide campaigns against poliovirus in Pakistan, where cases came down from 74 in 2024 to 30 in 2025.
Farooq said more than 400,000 polio workers will go door-to-door to administer polio drops to children, urging communities to cooperate with vaccinators.
“Religious scholars and the media should play an effective role in polio awareness,” she added.
