ISLAMABAD — President Asif Ali Zardari conferred Pakistan’s prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, honouring the world body’s chief at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president’s official residence.
The investiture marks one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honours, awarded in recognition of Guterres’ service and his stewardship of the United Nations at a time of mounting global crises.
A Ceremony of State Significance
The event commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran before President Zardari presented the award to Guterres on behalf of the nation.
The ceremony drew a high-level gathering of Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership alongside the diplomatic corps. Among those in attendance were:
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
- Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb
- National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq
- Members of the federal cabinet
- Foreign diplomats accredited to Islamabad
Recognition of Multilateral Leadership
The Nishan-e-Imtiaz is reserved for individuals whose contributions are deemed to have brought exceptional distinction to Pakistan or to the international community. By conferring the honour on the sitting UN secretary-general, Islamabad signalled its appreciation for his role in advancing multilateral cooperation and humanitarian causes worldwide.
The ceremony underscores Pakistan’s continued engagement with the United Nations, a relationship that has historically included one of the world’s largest contributions to UN peacekeeping operations.
