"to recognise her for her contribution to art and culture"
Popular singer Shazia Manzoor has recently been awarded the Queen Elizabeth honour.
The singer is currently touring in Canada, mesmerising fans with her stellar performances.
Canadian parliamentarian Shafqat Ali shared a number of pictures of himself and Shazia Manzoor in which he is seen presenting her with the prestigious Jubilee Pin.
He shared the images with the caption:
“It was such an honour to host Shazia Manzoor, a recognised and renowned Pakistani singer, and to recognise her for her contribution to art and culture and her commitment to bringing South Asian communities together through her song.”
Mr Ali continued by saying it was an honour to have met the singer and expressed a desire to see her again.
“It was such a blessing to meet the acclaimed Pride of Performance of Pakistan and to award her with Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin.
“Thank you for visiting and we hope to see you again soon.”
Shazia Manzoor also shared the photographs on Instagram and was showered with messages of congratulations.
One fan wrote: “Congratulations my dear. We were together in college and have so many fun memories from back then. I wish you all the best!”
Another comment read: “Congratulations Shazia Ma’am.”
Speaking about the award, Shazia said:
“I thank the government of Canada for this honour and award is a matter of great achievement for me.”
But the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin is not the only honour the singer has received.
Earlier in 2023, it was announced that Shazia Manzoor would be awarded the honorary Pride of Performance by the state of Pakistan, in recognition for her contribution within the music industry.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 23, 2024.
It is rumoured that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will also receive the ‘Hilal-e-Imtiaz’ award for his contribution to Sufi and classical music.
Sarmad Khoosar and Bilal Lashari are also set to be awarded with the ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ for taking Pakistani cinema to new heights.
Shazia Manzoor was born in Rawalpindi and began her singing career by performing in college shows.
She was professionally trained by Ustad Feroz Gul and sings in both Punjabi and Urdu.
Her most popular songs include the likes of ‘Chan Mere Makhna’, ‘Batiyaan Bhujaay Rakhdi’, ‘Aaja Sohneya’ and ‘Raatan’.
During the 2010 Pakistan floods, Shazia performed at charity concerts in an attempt to raise funds for the victims.