Ambassador’s Commendation 2026 Conferred Upon Mr. Jamal Shah

Islamabad, March 25, 2026:
During the inauguration ceremony of the “Japan in Art” exhibition at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), H.E. Mr. Shuichi Akamatsu, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, conferred the prestigious Ambassador’s Commendation for 2026 upon Mr. Jamal Shah, President of the Pakistan Japan Cultural Association (PJCA).

This distinguished recognition honors Mr. Shah’s lifelong dedication and exceptional contributions to promoting cultural relations between Japan and Pakistan. With a career spanning over four decades, he has played a pivotal role in advancing arts, cultural diplomacy, and people-to-people engagement between the two nations. His notable achievements include serving as Director of the Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan, and supporting numerous cultural initiatives during his tenure as Federal Minister for Culture.

Throughout his tenure as President of PJCA, Mr. Shah has maintained close and productive collaboration with the Embassy of Japan, spearheading a wide range of significant cultural initiatives. Under his leadership, PJCA has actively facilitated exhibitions, cultural exchanges, academic engagements, and artistic collaborations, making a substantive contribution to the strengthening of bilateral cultural relations and fostering enduring people-to-people connections. The recent exhibition organized by PJCA, “Remains of Ruins,” offered a poignant artistic reflection on the humanitarian impact of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, exemplifying his commitment to peace, historical awareness, and cultural dialogue.

In his remarks, Ambassador Akamatsu described Mr. Jamal Shah as a visionary leader and a dedicated patron of the arts, noting that the conferment of the Ambassador’s Commendation recognizes his sustained and invaluable efforts to promote mutual understanding and deepen cultural ties between Japan and Pakistan.

Receiving the award, Mr. Jamal Shah expressed his heartfelt gratitude, dedicating the honor to the members and supporters of PJCA, and reaffirmed his commitment to further advancing Japan–Pakistan friendship through cultural engagement.