One of Pakistan’s most respected and hardworking actors, Faysal Quraishi, recently made headlines for speaking openly about a painful disappointment — being denied the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz award not once, but twice.
The actor expressed his sadness during a podcast appearance with Shahzad Nawaz, saying, “They have sent my name back twice. It’s been 33 years that I’ve been in the field, and I don’t know who gets Sitara-e-Imtiaz.” He made light of the situation with a joke about visiting an “Imtiaz store” to find his star, but the frustration behind his words was clear.
Faysal started his career as a child artist on PTV’s play Emergency Ward, and his first major role was as Boota in Toba Tek Singh. He has since appeared in numerous hit dramas.
The Sitara-e-Imtiaz is a civilian honor awarded by the President of Pakistan to recognize outstanding contributions to arts and culture. Many fans and industry colleagues feel Faysal, with his decades of dedicated work across acting, hosting, and production, is more than deserving of this recognition.
Quraishi added, “I have questioned myself on not getting the presidential award, and people have emailed them about me not receiving it. I don’t know why — I’m not even political. Yes, I am a patriotic person. I will accept the award if I get it because I deserve it.”
His honesty was widely appreciated. The conversation has reignited the debate about who truly deserves national recognition in Pakistan’s entertainment industry.
