The President of France pays tribute to a Pakistani individual who has been selling newspapers in Paris for half a century.

On Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron honored Akbar, who is thought to be the last newspaper vendor in Paris, by making him a knight in the national order of merit for his contributions to France. The French president commended Akbar’s “extraordinary journey”, expressing gratitude to the septuagenarian for coming from Pakistan decades ago, selling newspapers for 50 years, and holding France dear to his heart.

“Dear Ali, thank you for delivering political news to our terraces with such enthusiasm, for bringing joy to the Flore, the Deux Magots, and the Lipp brasserie,” Macron stated during his address at the Elysee Palace, mentioning some of the iconic cafes in the French capital.

“You are the voice of the 6th arrondissement. The embodiment of the French press,” Macron remarked to Akbar, who was accompanied by his family. Akbar, renowned for crafting sensational headlines, peddles his newspapers through the upscale streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where he has become a local legend.

French has “become your language”, Macron noted, addressing the slim, elegantly dressed man. “You have mastered it, making it uniquely yours. You have carried, if I may say, the world in your arms and France in your heart,” Macron continued.

He lauded Akbar as a symbol of integration that “strengthens and elevates our country”. “He is a remarkable example at a time when we frequently encounter negative news,” Macron concluded.

French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L), donning sunglasses, stands alongside Akbar and his family after presenting the Chevalier of the French Order of Merit to Ali Akbar, who has been selling newspapers on the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the French capital for 50 years, at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 28, 2026. AFP

“There are also many stories like Ali’s, of women and men who fled poverty to choose a country of freedom.” Akbar expressed that he was “deeply moved” and already knew what he would proclaim on the streets of Paris in the upcoming days.

“That’s it, I’m a knight! I’ve made it!” he declared at the Elysee. Akbar came to France with the hope of escaping poverty and sending money back to his family in Pakistan. He initially worked as a sailor and then as a dishwasher in a restaurant in the northern city of Rouen.

Later in Paris, he encountered French humorist Georges Bernier, who provided him the opportunity to sell his satirical newspapers Hara-Kiri and Charlie Hebdo. Akbar mentioned last year that he was astonished that Macron wished to bestow upon him France’s highest honor.

“We often crossed paths when he was a student,” he recalled at that time. Akbar, who receives a pension of 1,000 euros ($1,175) monthly, continues to work every day. On average, he sells around 30 newspapers daily, a decrease from the 150 to 200 he sold when he first started.

He asserts that he has no intention of stopping “entertaining people with my jokes” anytime soon. “I’m going to continue selling newspapers,” he affirmed.