The Hilal-i-Imtiaz (English: Crescent of Excellence, Urdu: هلال ا متيا ز ) is the second highest civilian award and honor given to both civilians and military officers of the Pakistan armed forces by the Government of Pakistan. It recognizes individuals who have made an "especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of Pakistan, world peace, cultural or other significant public endeavors". It is a civilian award, and not limited to the citizens of Pakistan.

The honor is restricted to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their fields that led to international recognition to the State. It is awarded in the fields of literature, arts, sports, medicine, and science for civilians. It is announced every year on Independence Day, August 14, and given on Pakistan Day, March 23, by the President of Pakistan. For officers in the military, it is given for distinguished service, and is also the highest medal awarded to those at the rank of Major General or Lieutenant General (Army), Air Vice-Marshals or Air Marshals (Air Force) and Rear-Admiral or Vice-Admiral (Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines). Parliament's committee for Award and Recognition Services for State of Pakistan selects the names of individuals and sends their report to the Prime Minister; on his advice, the President makes the award in a ceremony that is broadcast by the PTV. The award is usually given to individuals, not groups, because the purpose of the award is to recognise the recipients' individual contributions.

Altaf Hussain (Urdu: الطاف حسین) (born 17 September 1953 in Karachi) is the founder and leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). The MQM emerged as the third largest political party in the national assembly of Pakistan during 1988 and 1990 elections. The MQM secured representation in the parliamentary elections held in the northern areas of Pakistan comprising Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan. Since 1992 he has lived in the United Kingdom in self exile after surviving an assassination attempt in Pakistan.

Altaf Hussain was born to Nazir Hussain and Khursheed Begum on 17 September 1953 in Karachi.His parents belonged to religious families from Agra, India. After the formation of Pakistan in 1947, his parents migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi. Hussain’s grand-father, Mufti Mohammad Ramazan, was Grand Mufti of the town of Agra, UP, India and his maternal grand-father Haji Hafiz Raheem Bhux was a reputed religious scholar in India.

Altaf Hussain got his early education from Govt Comprehensive School, Azizabad No. 8 Karachi. He then completed his matriculation in 1969 from Government Boys Secondary School. He attended National College Karachi during First Year of his Intermediate Education (Pre-Medical/Science) but switched to City College Karachi during Second Year of Intermediate from where he completed Intermediate.After that he went on to complete his Bachelors of Science from Islamia Science College (Karachi) in 1974 apart from completing his Bachelor of Pharmacy by 1979 from the University of Karachi. After completion of his Bachelor of Pharmacy he later enrolled for his Master’s degree.

Mehdi Hassan Khan (Urdu: مہدی حسن خان ) is a Pakistani ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood. He is famously known as the 'King of ghazal' (Urdu: شہنشاہِ غزل). He has ruled the Pakistan film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi. He was honoured with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan, and Gorkha Dakshina Bahu by the Government of Nepal.

Mehdi Hassan was born on 18 July 1934 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians. He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians. Mehdi Hassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional Dhrupad singers. Hassan started to perform at a young age and the first concert of dhrupad and kheyal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla, near present DC House (1935) of Undivided Punjab. After the Partition of India, 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.

Fauzia Wahab Urdu: فوزیہ وہاب ) is a Pakistani politician in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). She is a member of National Assembly from Sindh returned on a reserved seat for women after the February 18, 2008 general elections.

Fauzia Wahab has been appointed as the new central Information Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples Party in place of Ms. Sherry Rehman on March 18, 2009 by Co-Chairman, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari

Fauzia was born in 1956 and is the eldest of four children. She married in 1978 to Wahab Siddiqui, a journalist and TV anchorman in political talk shows in later years on Pakistan Television. For the next fourteen years, she was a housewife and had four children. Fauzia Wahab acted in Haseena Moin's drama serial 'Kohar' as the cousin of the hero played by then famous model Junaid Butt. The Drama was aired in 1991-92 and directed by M Zaheer Khan. In February 1993, Wahab Siddiqui died of a massive heart attack and her life took a new turn. She then re-married prominent cardiologist Dr Athar Hussein. Today on 27th May 2012, she, in serious condition admitted in a hospital at Karachi. She is on ventilator and in serious condition.

Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI(M), HI (Urdu: اشفاق پرویز کیانی , born April 1952) is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007. General Kayani is the former Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Director General of Military Operations (MO). On 24 July 2010, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani extended Kayani’s term as Chief of the Army Staff by three years, making him the first four-star general to receive a term extension from any democratic government. In 2008, Newsweek named him the 20th most powerful person in the world.

Kayani was promoted as Lieutenant General in September 2003, and was given the command of the X Corps in Rawalpindi. The promotion indicated Musharraf's significant trust in Kayani, since an army chief cannot build an army coup without the help of the X Corps commander. Kayani led the corps until October 2004, when he was transferred to the ISI as its chief.