GQ
Pakistan-born Khizr Khan among 17 Americans to Receive Highest US Civil Award
Washington: Pakistani-American Khizr Khan, who got worldwide fame when he challenged former US president Donald Trump’s knowledge of the Constitution, has been nominated to receive the
country's highest civil award — The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
President Joe Biden on Friday announced the recipients of the prestigious award who included Khizr Khan, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs (posthumously) and former Senator John McCain (posthumously).
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established under former President John F Kennedy, is the highest civilian honor presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the US, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors, the White House said in a statement.
"President Biden has long said that America can be defined by one word: possibilities,” it added
"These seventeen Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation – hard work, perseverance, and faith," the White House said further.
"They have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities — and across the world — while blazing trails for generations to come.
The awards will be presented at the White House Thursday, July 7.
Who is Khizr Khan?
Khizr Khan is a Gold Star father and founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Center.
He is a prominent advocate for the rule of law and religious freedom and served on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom under President Biden.
He came to fame when he openly challenged the then US president for his knowledge of the US Constitution in 2016. His son, US Army Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq in 2004.
Khizr Khan originally hails from Lahore, where he studied law at the Punjab University.
He then went to the US along with his young family to continue further studies at Harvard Law School, before permanently settling down in the country.
