King Abdullah II awarded Pakistan’s highest civil honour

President Asif Ali Zardari has conferred Pakistan’s highest civilian award on Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

During a ceremony held at the Presidency, President Zardari presented the “Nishan-e-Pakistan” to King Abdullah II, the country’s highest civil honor.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, First Lady Asifa Bhutto, the Field Marshal, Air Chief, Naval Chief, and other senior officials were also present at the ceremony.

The event at the Presidency began with the national anthems of both countries, after which President Zardari formally conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan on King Abdullah II.

President Zardari and King Abdullah earlier held a meeting, at which they reaffirmed longstanding, fraternal ties between Pakistan and Jordan, and discussed the full range of bilateral relations.

“They also reviewed regional and international developments of mutual concern, with particular focus on peace, stability and security in the Middle East,” the president’s office said in a statement.

“They noted the need to build on the strength of these relations and to encourage greater people-to-people contact between the two countries.”