(MENAFN- Live Mint) Pakistan interior minister Mohsin Naqvi , who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council chief, will be honoured with the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal for what has been described by certain quarters as“principled and courageous stance” during the Asia Cup final trophy controversy.

The news was revealed by Pakistan-based news portal, The Nation.

Naqvi will be awarded the medal in a ceremony in Karachi. Bilawal Bhutto , the chairman of the Pakistan People's Party and grandson of Bhutto, has been requested to be in attendance at said event.

Also Read | Mohsin Naqvi denies apologising to BCCI, holds firm on Asia Cup trophy handover

After the Asia Cup final in which India defeated Pakistan, the Men in Blue refused to take the trophy from Naqvi, who had shared a controversial post on social media. Following this, Naqvi decided to take away the trophy, a stance that has made him the subject of ridicule on social media.

Did not apologise: Naqvi

Naqvi recently posted on social media regarding this incident, wherein he also claimed that he did not apologise to the BCCI during the ACC AGM meeting on Tuesday.

"As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me," he wrote on sociakl media, adding, "Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so."

The BCCI will take up this issue during the ICC November meeting, PTI has reported.

India and Pakistan faced each other thrice in the recently concluded Asia Cup, winning every time.

Also Read | Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf face PCB heat: Cash flow stops for Pakistan players

Hostilities between India and Pakistan reached a new peak after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks, following which India launched Operation Sindoor in May to target terrorist bases in the neighbouring country.

Controversial celebrations

Despite being the PCB and ACC chief, Naqvi showed explicit support for Pak bowler Haris Rauf , who saw 30% of his match fees being taken away after he was spotted performing a controversial celebration during the India vs Pakistan match on September 14.

Naqvi, in response to the punishment handed to Rauf, said that he would pay out of his own pocket the fees that would be deducted from Rauf's pay.

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