3 Turkish citizens get Pakistan’s top civilian awards

Pakistan announced to confer its top civilian awards on three Turkish citizens, two parliamentarians and a top official in the Health Ministry, marking country's 73rd Independence Day, on Wednesday.

An official statement said that Pakistani President Arif Alvi has approved country's third top civilian award Sitara-e-Quaid-i-Azam to Ali Şahin and Muhammet Balta, both members of Turkish Parliament, in recognition of their services for promoting friendship between Turkey and Pakistan.

Both of them represent ruling Justice and Development (AK) party in the Parliament.

Former Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Şahin, is currently heading the Inter-parliamentary Turkey-Pakistan Friendship Group. Balta, a deputy from Trabzon, a city on the Black Sea coast of northeast Turkey, is former head of the same friendship group.

President Alvi also approved another third highest civilian award Sitara-e-Imtiaz to Selami Kılıç, who is heading the EU and foreign affairs in the Turkish Ministry of Health, for his services to Pakistan.

The awards will be formally given at a ceremony, to be held, on eve of the Pakistan Day, on March 23, 2020.