Islamabad – Pakistani citizen and activist Ushba Kamran has written a formal letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, strongly demanding the immediate withdrawal of national civil awards—announced by the government on August 14—that were conferred upon serving bureaucrats, federal secretaries, and ministers.
According to details, Kamran argued in the letter that bestowing national honors upon salaried bureaucrats and ministers for the performance of their routine official duties constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution and the law.A formal reminder regarding this matter was sent to the Presidency in August 2025; nevertheless, the administration once again took an unconstitutional step on August 14, 2026.
The letter, while clarifying legal and constitutional points, states that under Article 259(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan, national awards are restricted to acts of gallantry, distinguished service in the armed forces, academic excellence, and extraordinary, selfless public service; in the eyes of the law, “public service” signifies an extraordinary and impactful achievement, rather than the routine official duties performed by bureaucrats and ministers for which they receive a monthly salary.
Furthermore, citing “The Decorations Act, 1975” and related laws, the letter points out that the law strictly prohibits linking civil awards to administrative positions, seniority, or government employment; awarding medals to serving government officials amounts to a serious conflict of interest and fosters a culture of favoritism.
Citing Article 5(2) of the Constitution, the author stated that adherence to the Constitution and the law is mandatory for every citizen, including the Head of State.
The letter puts forward two fundamental demands: first, that an administrative order be issued to immediately revoke the awards—from the list designated for August 14, 2026—of all serving bureaucrats and ministers who were granted these honors in recognition of their official duties.
Furthermore, immediate instructions should be issued to the Cabinet Division that, in the future as well, officers performing routine administrative and official duties be deemed ineligible for nomination for civil awards; a copy of this letter has also been forwarded to the Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Division, Islamabad.
