LAHORE - Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer gave away civil awards to 44 personalities on behalf of the President for outstanding performance in different fields, on the occasion of Pakistan Day, here on Monday. Sitara-e-Imtiaz was given to seven, Pride of Performance to 18 and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz to 19 personalities. Chief Secretary Punjab, Naguib Ullah Malik read the citation of those who received awards in the ceremony. Senior civil and military officers as well as elite of the city attended the function. Those who were awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz include prominent singer Surrayia Multanikar, renowned poet Dr Khursheed Rizvi, VC University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr Habib-ur-Rehman, prominent mathematician Dr Saleem Asghar, Dr Naseem Ahmed, social worker associated with Orthopedic Unit of Mayo Hospital Lahore Ghias-ud-Din and Airport Manager Multan Syed Aamir Mahmood who was working there at the time of Fokker plane incident. Pride of Performance was received by lady agriculturist associated with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Dr Mrs Shafqat Farooq, Physicist attached with Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Sciences and Technology Dr Javed Iqbal Akhtar, Dean National University of Sciences and Technology Dr Syed Muhammad Hassan Zaidi, Chemist Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad Muhammad Mazhar, Mathematician of COMSATS Dr Muhammad Aslam Noor, Coordinator European Nuclear Research Project in National University of Sciences and Technology Dr Arshad Ali, Chief Cameraman PTV Islamabad Center Muhammad Younus Khan, Photographer of Press Information Department Amanoeel Philip, renowned columnist Abbas Athar, Muhammad Izhar-ul-Haq, prominent fiction writer Dr Anwaar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad Dr Shaukat Hameed Kiyani, Siraiki singer Parveen Nazar, actress Rehana Siddiqui, instrumentalist Shabbir Hussain, classical singer Shafqat Ali Khan and musician master Manzoor Hussain. The Pride of Performance Award for late Prof Dr Safdar Ali Kiyani from Balochistan University was received by his widow Ummat-un-Nisa Begum. Those who were awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz included Plant Physiologist of NIAB Dr Muhammad Yaseen Ashraf, Principal Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Sciences & Technology Dr Muhammad Nasir Khan, Virologist of National Institute of Health Islamabad Syed Sohail Zahoor Zaidi, Researcher of National Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology Prof Tayyab Hasnain, Dean Barani Agriculture University Bio-Chemistry Dr Azra Khannam, Biotechnologist Agriculture University Faisalabad Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, Prof Center for Advance Studies in Engineering Dr Shoaib Ahmed Khan, Principal Designer Control System of Lahore Islamabad Motorway and introducer of computerized toll tax system in Pakistan Prof Dr Farrukh Kamran, Prof of Radiology of Fatima Jinnah Medical College Lahore Dr Safdar Ali Malik, Chairperson Punjab University Psychology Department Dr Yasmeen Nilofer Farooqi, sculptor Kausar Jahan, actor Ghauur Akhtar, prominent writer Dr Answar Sadeed, Dr Aslam Ansari, Dr Tauseef Tabassum, Yasmeen Hameed as well as Yasir Mahmood Kiyani associated with Civil Defence Rawalpindi, Chief Technical Officer National Database Warehouse Islamabad Usman Yousuf Mubeen and Inspector Muhammad Sabir appointed at FIA Gujranwala. Talking to the media after giving away the awards, Governor Salmaan Taseer said that Pakistani nation was celebrating a day of national importance with full dedication and devotion. On this day a determination was made for the creation of a separate state through Pakistan resolution in which equal opportunities would be available to every person besides leading a life according to his religion, he added. The Governor said we should pledge for the promotion of national reconciliation on the occasion of Pakistan Day and reiterate that we should pay attention to solve problems of the people instead of confrontation.