Daily Times

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan has stated that nearly 84 years ago, on March 23, 1940, the founding fathers of Pakistan passed a resolution in the historic city of Lahore. It was at that time that our ancestors saw the dream of our independence that became true in August 1947.

He made these remarks during a reception that was held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington to celebrate National Day of Pakistan.

Masood Khan paid rich tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for his strong conviction and visionary leadership that led to the creation of Pakistan.

He also thanked the State Department for working day in and day out to give a new vigor and strength to Pak-US ties.

He said Pakistan-United States relations have a magnificent past; and they have a bright future. He said both sides are working hard to recalibrate bilateral ties structured around trade, investment, green energy, healthcare, education and science and technology. He reaffirmed women empowerment as an abiding obligation being a key driver of national success.

He said we are committed to a peaceful neighborhood where all countries live like a family. The Ambassador said the people of Jammu and Kashmir should be allowed exercise their right to self-determination through a ballot box in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan decorated two Pakistani Americans – Nasruddin Rupani and Hafeez Khan– with Pakistan’s national awards.

The citation read on the occasion said that Abdul Hafeez Khan, a leading Pakistani entrepreneur in the U.S., achieved rapid success with his brand “Tweaker Energy Shot,” becoming the fastest-growing and top-value product in the fiercely competitive Energy Shots market within eight years.

Abdul Hafeez Khan’s commitment to philanthropy and community engagement is exemplified by the establishment of the Razzaq Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to helping those in need. Beyond financial support, Khan actively participated in community development initiatives.

In Dallas, Texas, he converted a church into the well-known Al-Razzaq Islamic Center, named after his father. This initiative not only provided a place of worship but also reflected his dedication to fostering cultural understanding.

In a strategic and patriotic move, Abdul Hafeez Khan demonstrated his unwavering commitment to safeguarding Pakistan’s interests when the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC faced the threat of being sold. Recognizing the diplomatic and symbolic significance of this property, Khan took decisive action by outbidding others and paying the highest price. This financial commitment, made in July 2023, effectively secured the preservation of the embassy as a crucial Pakistani asset.

The Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett acknowledged Mr. Khan for his contributions towards US & Pakistani communities on the floor of the U.S. Congress House of Representatives.

In recognition of his exceptional contributions outstanding public service, the President of Pakistan is pleased to confer upon Abdul Hafeez Khan Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

For Nasruddin Rupani, the citation said that he is a US-based Pakistani philanthropist and a successful entrepreneur. Based in Houston, Nasruddin Rupani is the President of World’s Gold & Diamonds Inc (WGD), US Insurance Funding Inc, and many other companies.

Nasruddin Rupani has compassion for community and humanitarian service. He has founded many civil society organizations in Pakistan and USA. He chairs Ibn Sina Foundation, established in 2001 as a not-for-profit organization, providing medical care to uninsured and low-income population in Houston. Ibn Sina has treated over 1.5 million patients at its seven clinics with an annual budget of $12 million.

With the vision to create a sustainable society for the future generations, Nasruddin Rupani established Rupani Foundation in 2006. Besides USA, the foundation works in Pakistan’s all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan on early childhood development. For this program, he established over 200 early childhood centers and five academies. Nasruddin Rupani conceptualized and is managing more than 12 sustainable livelihood projects including precious stone-cutting training centers, fruit trees, and environmental tourism etc. in Northern Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Nasruddin Rupani has received a number of congressional, civic, and local proclamations and certificates of appreciation in the field of health and early childhood education since 2003. He is recipient of US Presidential Volunteer of the year award in 2021. Nasruddin Rupani spearheaded Gilgit-Baltistan investment conference ‘Invest-GB’ in Dubai, which brought the businesses from all over the world and MoUs worth $2 Billion were signed. He not only financed the conference but later brought investors to Gilgit. He organized a Muslim Mental Health Conference in Houston in 2022. Recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott performed groundbreaking of the first mental health wellness center in Houston.

In recognition of his outstanding public service, the President of Pakistan is pleased to confer upon Nasruddin Rupani, “Sitara-e-Khidmat”.