Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, head of the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Islam, will be conferred ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’, making him the fourth Indian to be honoured with Pakistan’s highest civilian award.
The announcement of the award comes as an acknowledgement of Dr Saiduddin’s services, according to a statement by Pakistan President Arif Alvi, who approved the conferment. The date for the investiture ceremony was, however, not made public.
The Grand Cross of the Order of Pakistan, also known as Nishan-e-Pakistan, is the highest civilian award given for exceptionally distinguished contributions rendered to Pakistan's national interest. It is comparable to the greatest military decoration, Nishan-e-Haider.
President Alvi approved the conferment of the civil award under Article 259 (2) of the Constitution and the Decorations Act 1975.
Every year, on August 14, Pakistan's Independence Day, the honours are announced. The following year, on March 23, which is Pakistan National Day, the awards are given out. However, these deadlines are not adhered to under exceptional circumstances, and the investiture might take place at any moment.
The 53rd Da’i al-Mutlaq of the order is Dr Saifuddin, the leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, which is dispersed throughout more than 40 nations, with a sizable membership in Pakistan. The Dawoodi Bohras work for the betterment of the poor in each of these nations through developmental projects.
As per the official website of the Dawoodi Bohras, the community traces its heritage to the Fatimi Imams, direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, in Egypt. “The Dawoodi Bohras throughout the world are guided by their leader known as the al-dai al-mutlaq (unrestricted missionary), who first operated from Yemen and then, for the last 450 years, from India,” it said.