Civil decorations of Pakistan | |
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Awarded for | In recognition of gallantry, academic distinction or distinction in the fields of sports or nursing. |
Country | Pakistan |
Presented by | President of Pakistan |
First awarded | 1957 |
The Pakistan Civil Awards were established on March 19, 1957, following the proclamation of Pakistan as an independent republic on March 23, 1956. The announcement of civil awards is generally made once a year on Independence Day, August 14, and their investiture takes place on the following Pakistan Day, March 23. According to Article 259(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, along with the Decorations Act 1975, the President of Pakistan confers civil awards on Pakistani citizens in recognition of gallantry. Awards for Pride of Performance are conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of art, literature, science, sports and nursing. The Pride of Performance and the Orders of Bravery (Shujaat) and Excellence (Imtiaz) are for Pakistani citizens only, but the remaining awards are open to all for eminence and outstanding services to Pakistan in a significant field of activity.
The Civil Awards comprise five orders, each with four descending categories: Nishan (Order; Urdu: نشان), Hilal (Crescent; Urdu: ہلال), Sitara (Star; Urdu: ستارہ) and Tamgha (Medal; Urdu: تمغہ), as follows: