Actors, a veteran journalist and an entrepreneur join Usama Khan Warsi in briefing Brigadier Muhammad Yaqoob Awan on the private award body’s tributes to the armed forces, days after a similar visit to the PAF’s media office.
KARACHI: A delegation of the WIO Global Business Icon Award Academy, a Karachi-based private organisation that honours members of the armed forces and public figures, called on the Sindh sector commander of the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), continuing a round of outreach to the defence establishment’s public relations offices in the city.
Led by founding president Usama Khan Warsi, the delegation met Brigadier Muhammad Yaqoob Awan, Sector Commander, ISPR Sindh, at the sector headquarters in Karachi, according to a statement from the organisation. Major Syed Munawwar Shah and Major Sulaiman, described as ISPR’s spokesperson on Suno FM radio, also attended. The statement did not give the date of the visit.
The meeting follows the academy’s courtesy call on the Pakistan Air Force’s public relations office in Karachi, where it briefed officers on similar themes.
Tributes since 2003
Warsi briefed Brigadier Awan on WIO’s activities since 2003, which it says include award ceremonies, commemorative events and tribute programmes for the armed forces and, in particular, for soldiers who lost their lives defending the country.
He highlighted two ceremonies held under the themes of Marka-e-Haq, Pakistan’s name for its May 2025 military confrontation with India, and Youm-e-Tashakkur, the national day of thanksgiving that followed, as well as events on Defence Day and Independence Day. Patriotic commemorations have drawn large crowds in Karachi this year, including a Defence Day rally in September.
Private medals
The academy awards its own WIO Pride of Pakistan and WIO Tamgha-e-Fakhr-e-Pakistan medals to military officers and law enforcement officials. These are private recognitions conferred by the organisation and are distinct from the state’s civil and military decorations, which are awarded by the President.
WIO says past honourees include Air Marshal Arshad Malik of the PAF, Commodore Akbar Naqi of the Pakistan Marine Academy, Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz, a former caretaker home minister of Sindh, several Anti-Narcotics Force Sindh commanders, and Captain Tarana Saleem, whom it describes as the first woman commercial pilot from the Sindh region.
Karachi’s private awards scene has grown busy, with organisations such as the club behind the Pakistan Excellence Awards also honouring public figures this season.
Books and crests
Warsi presented a commemorative crest to Brigadier Awan. Veteran journalist Khursheed Hyder presented publications, veteran actress Ghazala Javed gave a copy of What It Means to Be a Baloch by Sadia Umrani, and actors Shahzad Mallick and Ayaz Khan jointly presented a book of hamd poetry by Hazrat Sajjad Sukhan. Entrepreneur Talha Khan presented a crest from FM Food.
The organisation said it would continue to promote patriotism, recognise national service and honour martyrs and the contributions of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies.
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