A year ago we had to deal with the fact that former law minister Babar Awan was honoured a Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the president of Pakistan for his ‘scholarly work’ of which the (fake) PhD degree stood as proof.

This year, we have to deal with a lot more than that.

Perhaps the whole country stands united in being flabbergasted at the news of Rehman Malik’s nomination for the prestigious award of the Nishan-i-Imtiaz. Malik, like many others, has been nominated for his services to the public, which so far remain invisible – signing up on twitter doesn’t count. Looking at the dozens and dozens of terror attacks, security lapses and lives lost in target killings while Malik has held office, the biggest public service the interior minister could have done would have been to resign. Anything short of that does not qualify for such an honour.

Malik’s award is not the only announcement that has been receiving flak from the country. Where once former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had refused to allow such honours to adorn her ministers, now we see a fair chunk of Zardari’s favourites on the list of recipients of the prestigious awards. Benazir had issued a notification stating “No minister to be decorated as a policy” – but perhaps as PPP evolves with time, it changes certain policies over time too – even if they were a better part of BB’s legacy.

The list of other recipients included Speaker National Assembly Dr Fahmida Mirza, Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani, Advisor to Sindh CM Sharmila Farooqui, Cabinet Division Secretary Nergis Sethi and former PPP Punjab President Qasim Zia. Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar and Secretary General to President Salman Farooqui were also among those awarded.

Like Malik, all of those mentioned above have been honoured for their services to the public but looking at the list and the lack of achievements the recipients bring to the table, it is pretty obvious that the services being spoken of are for anyone but the public. How does one even make sense of a national civil award of such stature being given to the president’s spokesman? Conveying statements of Zardari to the public does not count as honourary service either! If that were the case then there are a great amount of journalists who have also conveyed the messages and activities of the president to the public – do we qualify too? And when it comes to Sharmila Farooqui, most would agree that the only thing the advisor has excelled in this year is having the most television appearances.

What came as more of a surprise, or actually not so much anymore when it comes to our leaderhip, Nargis Sethi, who presides over the selection process for the awards has herself been nominated for one. Sethi also said that the requirements (regarding the awards) change over time and therefore, it was fine for Benazir’s old policy to be scrapped.

Along with so many other things the government has changed, scrapped and meddled with, sadly the prestige and status of these awards and the message of public service has also been distorted as we see ministers and spokesmen being awarded for the work that is in the line of their duties – are the perks and benefits that come with their jobs not enough?

There are a lot of deserving people in our country who have given many sacrifices and worked very hard for the betterment of this country. The move to distribute these medals so carelessly has once again reminded the nation of what a selfish, short-sighted and shameless lot leads us.

Hardly worth the ‘Sitaras’ | Blog | DAWN.COM

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"Wa tu izzu man-ta shaa, wa tu zillu man-ta shaa"

pakistan peoples party has sworn to steal every single thing from this country even medals and awards. they will have to sell the medals and get the money.

Here goes another embarrassment for Pakistan - an intensified “emotional Ateyachaar” with this “Bandar’baant”. Not with-standing to the lucid judgmental criteria this civil service award is eventually at a brim to loose its entire credibility. Sky is the limit for these goons. If two bad can make one good then so many bad (even worst) can make it a best - should be the manifesto of PPP. Despite of so many nastiest policies and nepotism which is quite an evident to each and every individual of Pakistan, this is still going to be a leading party in next election, I bet. The illiterate populace is again going to be handicapped by their feudal lords to play havoc with the fate of Pakistan in next election. I can guess it because the same thing happened in Gilgit Baltistan and likewise in recent Azad Jamu & Kashmir elections where almost 70% seats were grabbed by PPP. Juvenile approach of common people has so far provided a fertile ground to the leaders to play as per their agenda. I have a varied idea which no one has considered so far in Pakistan. If an educated regime (atleast graduate) has a right to participate in election then the fate of the Pakistan should be decided by the only educated people having rights casting their votes. Though it is hard bone to engulf but this is the only way out to bring the right people to facade. Hitler once said, there should be no democracy at all if literacy rate is less than 40 percent. I favour to increase this percentage to atleast 60% in the current scenario.