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Honorary Awards: Her Majesty The Queen recognises Pakistani UK AID staff for outstanding service

The MBE is a prestigious honour awarded to individuals for significant achievements or exceptional service, which stands out as an example to others.

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On 9 October, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, the British High Commissioner presented awards to Mr Asghar Ali and Mrs Tahira Roshani in recognition of their work for the UK’s Department for International Development in Pakistan.

Both Mr Ali and Mrs Roshani have been made Honorary Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). The MBE is a prestigious honour awarded to individuals for significant achievements or exceptional service, which stands out as an example to others.

Speaking at the event, the British High Commissioner Philip Barton CMG OBE said:

I am delighted to present Honorary MBE awards to Mr Asghar Ali and Mrs Tahira Roshani in recognition of their unflagging and enthusiastic work for the UK’s aid programme in Pakistan. They have been tireless in ensuring that support reached those most in need, whether through education initiatives or in response to humanitarian crises. Their commitment is an example to us all.

Head of DFID Pakistan, Richard Montgomery said:

I am pleased to congratulate Mr Asghar Ali and Mrs Tahira Roshani on receiving their well deserved honours. The DFID Pakistan team are delighted that their outstanding contributions to development and humanitarian work have been recognised.

Mrs Tahira Roshani said:

I am really pleased to be part of the team that makes up the UK’s Department for International Development in Pakistan. I joined DFID in 2004 and have worked with many different teams. It was particularly important to me to be able to help my country during the 2010 floods and I was a keen volunteer in contributing to our flood response. My work now involves working on a range of education projects to help improve children’s access to education. I am deeply honoured to receive this award and am very grateful to those who nominated me.

Mr Asghar Ali said:

I am proud to be part of the UKAid, Department for International Development, which has helped the developing countries including Pakistan to reduce poverty and improve social indicators to achieve millennium development goals. In Pakistan, DFID particularly played a vital role in social development through participatory process and micro-finance initiatives which helped millions of people increase income and improve quality of their lives. DFID also helped the federal and provincial governments, at policy and strategic levels, to improve governance, education, health and access to finance for the poor.

I am grateful to the British Government for recognizing my small contribution to the great cause.


Contact:

Press Attaché, British High Commission, Islamabad; tel. 0300 5005306

Published 9 October 2014