Professor Salamat Akhtar has been honoured with the Justice A.R. Cornelius Award in recognition of his long-standing contributions to education, social service, and minority rights in Pakistan. The Implementation Minority Rights Forum presented the award to acknowledge his academic and humanitarian work that has resonated across communities.
Nawaz Salamat, son of Professor Salamat Akhtar, expressed deep gratitude for the recognition and recalled his father’s persistent advocacy for justice and human dignity. Nawaz highlighted that in the well-known book Unsung Heroes of the Pakistan Movement, his father dedicated a full chapter to the thoughts and public service of former Chief Justice Justice A.R. Cornelius, helping introduce younger readers to Cornelius’s legacy.
The family conveyed sincere thanks to the Implementation Minority Rights Forum for remembering Professor Salamat Akhtar’s lifelong public service. Nawaz Salamat specifically thanked the forum’s chairman, Samuel Pyara, and the event organisers, noting that the award encourages those working for interfaith harmony, human dignity, and minority rights across Pakistan.
The award was presented at a dignified ceremony in Lahore by the first Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Constitutional Court, Justice Aminuddin Khan. Professor Salamat Akhtar’s daughter, Sameera Asher, received the honour on his behalf, accepting the recognition on behalf of the family and their ongoing commitment to social causes.
The recognition of Salamat Akhtar by a prominent rights forum underscores the continued importance of advocacy for minority rights and interfaith cooperation in Pakistan, and offers encouragement to activists, educators, and community leaders who carry forward similar work.
