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
Pakistani students stuck in Afghanistan permitted to go home
- The border between the countries has been shut since Oct. 12
- Worries remain for students about return after the winter break
JALALABAD: After three months, some Pakistani university students who were stuck in Afghanistan due to deadly clashes between the neighboring countries were “permitted to go back home,” Afghan border police said Monday.
“The students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (northwest Pakistan) who were stuck on this side of the border, only they were permitted to cross and go to their homes,” said Abdullah Farooqi, Afghan border police spokesman.
The border has “not reopened” for other people, he said.
The land border has been shut since October 12, leaving many people with no affordable option of making it home.
“I am happy with the steps the Afghan government has taken to open the road for us, so that my friends and I will be able to return to our homes” during the winter break, Anees Afridi, a Pakistani medical student in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, told AFP.
However, worries remain for the hundreds of students about returning to Afghanistan after the break ends.
“If the road is still closed from that side (Pakistan), we will be forced to return to Afghanistan for our studies by air.”
Flights are prohibitively expensive for most, and smuggling routes also come at great risk.
Anees hopes that by the time they return for their studies “the road will be open on both sides through talks between the two governments.”
