ISLAMABAD (HRNW) – President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the authorities to confer prestigious Hilal-e-Imtiaz upon athlete Arshad Nadeem for displaying record-setting performance in Paris Olympics 2024 in the category of javelin throw.
“The President will confer the civil award upon Arshad Nadeem during a special ceremony to be held in recognition of his prominent performance in sports. The President will confer the civil award under Article 259 (2) of the Constitution,” President Secretariat’s Press Wing said in a press release on Saturday.
Under the constitutional provision, the president can confer Pakistani citizens with civil awards in recognition of their meritorious services in different fields of life.
On president’s directive, a letter has been dispatched by the Aiwan-e-Sadr to the Cabinet Division.
PRESIDENT HAILS JAVELIN STAR
President Zardari said Arshad Nadeem, with his brilliant performance, had made the nation proud in the field of sports.
“Nadeem’s marvellous achievement at the international level brought laurels to the nation. He has raised the name of country in athletics,” reads the letter shared by President Secretariat’s Press Wing with media.
On Thursday, Arshad Nadeem shattered the Olympic record with a humongous 92.97m throw in javelin final to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Arshad Nadeem now becomes the first individual Olympic gold medallist from Pakistan. He has broken the previous Olympic record of 90.57 – set in 2008 Beijing Olympics by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen.