Hilal-e-Pakistan ()
is the second-highest
civil award (in the hierarchy of "Hilal")
of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. The award seeks to recognize those people who have made "meritorious contribution to the
national interests of Pakistan, or
cultural
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
,
social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
contribution, or other significant public or private endeavors". The award is not limited to
Pakistani citizens. While it is a civilian award, it can also be conferred upon
foreign national
A foreign national is any person (including an organization) who is not a national of a specific country. ("The term 'person' means an individual or an organization.") For example, in the United States and in its territories, a foreign national ...
s.
It is bestowed by the
president of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.[Independence day
An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...]
.
History
Hilal-e-Pakistan and other civil awards came into existence following the
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
of Pakistan on March 23, 1956. However, civil awards including Hilal-e-Pakistan were established on March 19, 1957 under the article 259(2) of the
Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's Pakistani political parties, opposition ...
and
Decorations Act, 1975
Decorations Act 1975 is a law enacted in April 1975 by the Parliament of Pakistan. It allows government, in particular president to confer, withdraw, postpone or announce civil and gallantry awards for Pakistani and foreign citizens. It also allow ...
. Hilal-e-Pakistan, the second-highest civil award
was possibly first conferred upon
Chief justice of
Dhaka high court
The High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh ( bn, হাইকোর্ট ডিভিশন) popularly known as the 'High Court' is one of the two divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the other division being the Appellate D ...
,
Amin Ahmed
Amin Ahmed NPk, MBE ( bn, আমিন আহমদ; 1 October 1899 – 5 December 1991) was a jurist and chief justice of the Dacca High Court in Bangladesh.
Early life and education
Amin Ahmed was born on 1 October 1899 at Ahmadpur vill ...
.
Policy
President of Pakistan confers civil awards under the
Article 259(2) of the constitution-1973 and decorations Article-1975 in recognition of meritorious contribution and selfless devotion.
Previous Versions of Hilal-e-Pakistan
File:Hilal-e-Pakistan Neck Medal (1957-75).png, Neck Medal for the 1957-75 version of Hilal-e-Pakistan
Notable recipients
Controversies
President
Asif Ali Zardari was accused in 2011 for conferring 185 civil awards including Hilal-e-Pakistan, to its federal
Cabinet minister
A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, ...
s and foreigners. Pakistan
News media
The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These include news agencies, print media (newspapers, news magazines), broadcast news (radio and television), and th ...
in 2011, covered reports stating that its former prime minister
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar (or Zulfiqar) Ali Bhutto ( ur, , sd, ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو; 5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), also known as Quaid-e-Awam ("the People's Leader"), was a Pakistani barrister, politician and Politician, statesman who served as ...
including
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto ( ur, بینظیر بُھٹو; sd, بينظير ڀُٽو; Urdu ; 21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 t ...
were restricted during their tenure from bestowing the civil awards to associates.
See also
*
Civil decorations of Pakistan
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 ...
*
Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces
References
{{Civil decorations of Pakistan
Civil awards and decorations of Pakistan
Awards established in 1957
1957 establishments in Pakistan