The first of its kind, the "National Icon Awards" show was a celebration of the rich and vibrant history of Pakistani performing arts, spanning over seven decades. Hence, the format was split over various segments, each recognizing and paying tribute to the maestros of those respective generations and their immense contributions in shaping the national narrative.
The contemporary community of artists joined hands for the awards show to pay tribute to the legends of performing arts, whose struggle and prodigious talent set the foundations of an industry that once ruled the hearts and minds of its viewers. In this manner, the meritorious services of all those gifted souls were recognized, who over the decades, had cultivated and developed, through the most challenging of times in our nations history, a narrative of harmony, levity and collectivism.
The artists who won the awards were Sohail Rana, Kanwal Naseer, Suriya Multanikar, Zeba, Shoaib Hashmi, Qavi Khan, Khawaja Najamul Hassan, Abida Parveen, Naeem Tahir, Yasmeen Tahir, Shakeel, Haseena Moeen, Irfan Khoosat, Sarmad Khoosat, Anjuman, Nauman Ejaz, Marina Khan, Humayun Saeed, Saba Hameed, Behroze Sabzwari, Firdous Jamal, Babara Sharif, Faisal Rehman, Syed Noor, Afzal Khan (Rambo), Sultana Siddiqui, Robina Ashraf, Ahsan Khan and Saba Qamar.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that artists not only portrayed characters, but also had the profound ability to set direction for the society. The minister said artists were the face of Pakistan and a reflection of the diversity and vibrancy of its people.