The Peace Conference and Awards 2025 took place at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad on the International Day of Peace, organized by the Human Rights Council of Pakistan under the chairmanship of Jamshid Hussain. The event drew diplomats, policymakers, human rights advocates and civil society representatives to recognize efforts for peace and human dignity.
The program opened with a recitation of the Quran, the national anthem and a five minute documentary focused on human rights. In his opening remarks, Jamshid Hussain described peace as the foundation of human dignity and sustainable development, stressing that peace goes beyond the absence of war to include justice, tolerance and inclusive societies.
Former Air Chief Marshal (R) Sohail Aman served as guest of honour and presented awards to a wide range of leaders and activists. Recipients included Air Commodore (R) Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Chairman Rashid Memorial Welfare Organization; Professor Dr Muhammad Ali, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Punjab; Haji Abdul Razaq Afridi, recognized as an ambassador of peace; Akhtar Ali, former military audit officer; and noted broadcaster Ishrat Saqib. Mohammad Ahmad Shah, President Arts Council Karachi, received an award accepted on his behalf by Abbas Naqvi, and an award for the late His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan was accepted by the community.
Awards additionally honored Maulana Hidayat Rehman Baloch, member of the provincial assembly from Gwadar; columnist and anchor Orya Maqbool Jan; and singer-artist Owais Raza. The Peace Conference featured a dedicated panel on Pakistan’s role in world peace, with participants including Mishaal Malik, wife of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik and former federal minister, former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman, former student leader Mohammad Naveed Anwar and journalist leader Sadiq Anzar.
The second part of the awards recognized figures such as Muhammad Farooq Rahmani, senior Hurriyat leader and chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League; H.E. Faisal Butt, Ambassador at Large of the Republic of Liberland for Pakistan and Nepal; Maryam Kiwan, president of Khud Mukhtar Saavi and business columnist; and Salman Khan, whose Human Rights Defender Award was received by Sajid Khan. Sajid Rehman Usmani, focal person for the Prime Minister Youth Programme in Gilgit-Baltistan, and Sajid Ali, director international relations at the Human Rights Council of Pakistan, were also honored.
Senator Raja Nasser Abbas Jafri, chairman of Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, received an award, and several civic actors were recognized for flood relief work with honorary shields presented to Izharuddin, Advocate Jahagir Khan Salarzai, Ali Rehman Shamlani, Nasir Khan and Mushahid Bangroo.
Other awards were conferred on Justice (R) Shaukat Ali Siddiqui, chairman of the National Industrial Relations Commission, with the award accepted by Registrar Arbab Amjad, and the family of Maulana Khan Zaib Shaheed received a posthumous recognition. Additional recipients included Pir Syed Mohammad Ali Gilani, Teacher Usman, Muhammad Tayyab, Sabin Farooq, Ayab Ahmad, Sajid Ali Baig, Saharish Qureshi, Shakeel Ahmed, Sahibzada Mohammad Salim (late), Malik Jehan Alam, Mrs Ashna Manis, Shiv Ram Kachi, Javed Khan Advocate and others from various regions and fields.
The event combined awards with cultural performances, musical items and short addresses. Speakers included Senator Raja Nasser Abbas Jafri, Professor Dr Muhammad Ali, Syeda Hamna Batool, Air Commodore (R) Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Javeria Sadiq, Orya Maqbool Jan, Justice (R) Mudassir Khalid Abbasi and Maulana Hidayat Rehman Baloch. The Peace Conference emphasized continued dialogue, protection of human rights and a strengthened Pakistani contribution to peace on the global stage.
