KARACHI:
The Pride of Performance is an award bestowed on the Pakistan Resolution Day to recognise people who have made an exceptional meritorious contribution to the field of literature, art, sports, science and education. These awards are considered the most prestigious and act as a motivational device. However, out of the 88 recipients this year, two have become controversial as not being deserving of this honour.
The government is being criticised for awarding singer Ali Zafar with this esteemed accolade. This is a legitimate concern as the singer has been accused of harassment by multiple women, with two of them having filed separate cases against him. All eyes are already on the infamous legal battle between fellow singer Meesha Shafi over her sexual harassment allegations and Ali Zafar’s subsequent defamation lawsuit against her. The eligibility criterion is therefore being questioned as to how an “alleged” harasser could be decorated with a national award, as this comes across as an insult to harassment survivors all over the country. Impartial observers and commentators like myself debate that due recognition in this case should have been conferred only after the final verdict comes out for the Meesha Shafi case.
The award rightly questions the credibility and objectivity of the nomination and selection process. As a result, many unsung experts in various fields with years of a dedicated service are left out. The Pride of Performance awards should only be conferred with the intended spirit to recognise and commend outstanding stalwarts who devote years of service to the society and the country. Awards must not have any controversy attached to them as these winners will be considered as role models that the nation will look up to for inspiration.
Salma Tahir
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2021.
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