Arshad Nadeem, a javelin thrower made history in the French capital by winning Pakistan’s first Olympic gold since 1984 when the country’s hockey team triumphed in Los Angeles. It was the first medal of any color since Barcelona in 1992 when the hockey team bagged the bronze. Arshad’s feat, therefore, makes him arguably Pakistan’s greatest-ever Olympian. Arshad’s triumph on Thursday in Paris is all the more impressive for a man born and raised in a mud-brick house in an impoverished corner of rural Pakistan and forced as a young man to train in local wheat fields with homemade weapons. (javelins). The news of his victory, which reached Pakistan late at night, thrilled his compatriots, drawing congratulatory messages from the nation’s leaders and prompting jubilant dancing and fireworks in his normally sleepy home village of Mian Channu.
President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Saturday that Arshad Nadeem would be awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz for his record performance in the Paris Olympics 2024. It said the President’s House had sent a letter to the federal cabinet for approval of the athlete’s civil award, adding that according to the Constitution, the president could award honors to the citizens of Pakistan in recognition of their valuable services in various fields under Article 259(2).
“Arshad Nadeem has made the country proud in the field of sports with his excellent performance,” the president said. The initiative was taken on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said the minister in a news statement.
Tarar said the special postage stamp was titled “Azm-i-Istehkam”, adding that it was a testament to the country’s commitment to development and prosperity.
He said a picture of Nadeem has been added to the stamp to pay tribute to him for his Olympic feat.
The minister said the freedom struggle of the nation and its symbolic importance were highlighted by adding an image of Minar-i-Pakistan to the stamp. Tarar said the stamp would continue to remind future generations about the struggle and sacrifices made by their ancestors for freedom and the government’s commitment to the country’s development.