Altaf Hamid Rao.
Award to be bestowed at Pakistan Day National Awards Distribution Ceremony at Governor House Lahore on March 23, 2024: Official Notification :
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) :: Azad Jammu Kashmir Police legendary officer SSP Raja Irfan Salim, will be awarded Pakistan Civil Award – ‘Tamgha e Imtiaz’ at a ceremony scheduled to be hosted on the eve of Pakistan Day on March 23 at Punjab Governor House in Lahore in acknowledgement of the demonstration of his high professional skills, talent and abilities during his last over 30 years of service in AJK Police, official sources said.
Our Special Jammu and Kashmir Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports from Mirpur that Raja Irfan Salim, a native of Azad Jammu Kashmir’s martial belt – Bhimbher District, is amongst those personalities representing different fields hailing from across the country including Azad Jammu Kashmir who is being conferred the award ‘Tamgha e Imtiaz’ in ‘Public Service Category’,
Cabinet Division of the Government of Pakistan had announced conferment of Pakistan Civil Awards – 14th August 2023, it was officially said.
“On the occasion of Independent Day, 14th August 2023, the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been pleased to confer Pakistan Civil Awards on citizens of Pakistan as well as Foreign Nationals for showing excellence and courage in their respective fields as per list-A and for martyrs of COVID-19 as per list-B, says an official press statement. “Investiture for these awards will take place on Pakistan Day 23rd March 2024”, it added.
It may be added that SSP Raja Irfan Salim is reportedly the only officer of Azad Jammu Kashmir police who has been nominated, for first time, from Azad Jammu Kashmir for conferment of Pakistan Civil Award on the eve of the Independent Day of Pakistan for showing excellence an courage during the course of his professional duties through the best of his abilities and skills.
The name of Irfan Salim, Senior Superintendent of Azad Jammu Kashmir Police has been published in the special gazette of Pakistan after the approval of the grant of the national award ‘Tamgha e Imtiaz’ by the President of Pakistan on the occasion of the Independence Day of Pakistan – August 14, 2023, a Govt. of Pakistan Cabinet Division letter issued on March 15, 2024 said.
“Governor of Punjab will confer ‘Tamgha e Imtiaz’ upon him at awards distribution national ceremony to be hosted at Governor House in Lahore on the eve of Pakistan Day on March 23, 2024 – Saturday”, the letter said.
It may be added here that in acknowledgement of his long distinguished career and high professional skills as a seasoned officer of AJK police, spreading over three decades, Raja Irfan Salim has so far been conferred the departmental highest Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM) award with cash of Rs. 0.3 million – year 2015, three Presidential Police Medals (PPM) with cash awards of Rs. 0.2 million each in in 1993, 2015 and 2016, Gold Medals in year 2011 and 2016 by National Social Association and Mirpur Civil Society, Rs. 1.2 million cash awards since 2009 by Governments of Punjab and Azad Jammu Kashmir.
He has also distinction to participate in a professional training course, heading a delegation of AJK police officer held in January 2000 in the United Kingdom besides participating in identical professional training programs held at regional and national level.