‘Most Resilient Journalist Award’ was given to Hamid Mir by the International Free Press in November this year in Hague, Holland. The ceremony was arranged in a local hotel and was attended by leading journalists, anchorpersons, politicians and friends and family of Hamid Mir. Former information minister Pervaiz Rashid, Mir Hasil Bizenjo and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry were among the participants. Pemra Chairman Absar Alam was also present.

The participants were shown a documentary depicting the long struggle of Hamid Mir during his professional career from covering war zones to facing tough situations, from struggling against the military dictator to defending the freedom of speech and press, from attacks on his home to bullet assault on him by the enemies on April 19, 2014. The documentary also explained how Pakistan’s leading channel Geo News continued functioning, recording programmes from hidden places, transferring content to channel’s foreign office and then finally airing those programmes after second martial law by army government of General Musharraf in 2007.

Rana Fawad, CEO of Lahore Qalandars, addressed the gathering and recalled great efforts, writing and sacrifices of Waris Mir, the father Hamid Mir. Fawad also discussed the career and work of Hamid Mir in detail. He explained the traumatic situation he and other Pakistanis used to face after Hamid Mir was attacked in 2014. Fawad told participants that two bullets fired by assailants are still present in the body of Hamid Mir. Mir was given standing ovation at two different occasions during the ceremony.

In his speech, Hamid thanked the participants for becoming part of the occasion and explained great sacrifices rendered by the ordinary people of Pakistan against the dictators and dictatorship. Hamid explained as to why he dedicated his award to the great struggle and resilience of the people of Pakistan who always stood and fought against dictators.

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