The Government of Pakistan has announced that Dr Paul Jacob Bhatti will receive the national civil award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, in recognition of his decades-long work promoting interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence among Pakistan’s religious communities.
The announcement came just days after Pakistan observed National Minorities Day on August 11, commemorating Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s historic 1947 address pledging equal rights and religious freedom to all citizens.
It was this vision that inspired Dr Bhatti’s late brother, former federal minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, to campaign for the day’s official recognition before he was assassinated in Islamabad on March 2, 2011 for his outspoken stand against extremism. He was posthumously awarded the Hilal-e-Shujaat for his sacrifice.
Dr Bhatti took up his brother’s mission in the years that followed, serving as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Minorities Affairs with the rank of Federal Minister, and later becoming the first Federal Minister for National Harmony after the ministry’s restructuring under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Over roughly three years in office, he worked to strengthen interfaith dialogue and expand minority participation in national life, a mission he continued internationally after leaving government, building bridges between Pakistani communities and religious and civil society institutions abroad.
Announcing the award, officials said it reflects Dr Bhatti’s sustained contribution to promoting understanding among Pakistan’s diverse faith communities. Reacting to the honour, Dr Bhatti said the recognition was not something he had sought, but that he hoped it would carry a wider message to the international community about Pakistan’s commitment to coexistence.
Speaking on the significance of the award, Dr Bhatti reflected on the legacy it represents, one that began with Jinnah’s vision of equal citizenship, was carried forward through his brother’s sacrifice, and continues through ongoing efforts to build dialogue across faith lines. “The strength of Pakistan lies in its diversity,” he said, “and its future depends on our ability to live together as equal citizens with dignity, mutual respect and peace.”
