Pakistan awarded Bill Gates, billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, one of its top civilian honors in recognition of his service in the field of poverty alleviation and diseases like polio and tuberculosis control. 

Pakistan's President Arif Alvi awarded him the prestigious Hilal-e-Pakistan award, the second-highest civilian award when he visited Pakistan this week at the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Pakistan’s commitment to ending polio is inspiring,” Gates was quoted as saying by a statement released by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His foundation’s work helped greatly in almost eradicating Polio. 

Prior to the recent outbreak of polio in Malawi, Pakistan and Afghanistan were the only two remaining countries yet to be free from polio. 

In the statement, he said, “This is the final, and hardest, phase of the eradication effort, but by keeping up the momentum and staying vigilant, Pakistan has an opportunity to make history by ending polio for good.”

Polio workers, and security officials guarding them, often come under attacks by Islamist militants during immunization drives. Thanking Gates for the services of his foundation, Prime Minister Khan said polio eradication is a top priority for his government and they will work at all level

During his visit on Thursday, Gates said he was impressed by Islamabad’s efforts. “I think the steps taken in Pakistan during 2022 will probably set us up to finish polio eradication," he said.

(SAM)