This honor is given to those who have rendered distinguished services in France at the civilian or military level
Anjum Iqbal, Daily Dawn, Dawn TV Report
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron has conferred the honor of making Ali Akbar, 74, a Pakistani national, a knight of the Grand Order of Merit, one of France’s highest civilian honors.
Ali Akbar has been selling newspapers on cafe terraces in Paris’s historic Latin Quarter for the past 50 years and is extremely popular among locals. The awarding ceremony was held at the French Presidential Palace, where Ali Akbar’s long service was appreciated. This honor is given to those who have rendered distinguished services in France at the civilian or military level.
Ali Akbar hails from Rawalpindi and came to France from Pakistan in 1973. After arriving here, he took up the profession of newsagent and initially sold newspapers to students at the Sorbonne University and nearby educational institutions.
Over the past half century, he kept the tradition of newsagents alive in Paris, which attracted the attention of not only the local people but also the international media. This honor given by France is also being considered a source of pride for the Pakistani community.
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