The tenacity of five Pakistanis in wading across a river to rescue petrified residents during a gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights not only went viral on social media but also earned official accolades from the Pakistani Embassy in Malaysia.

The five of them, Khaista Nawab, 50, Bakht Munir, 37, Amir Nawab, 47, Rafiq Ullah, 25 and Jaafar Ali, 40, were invited to receive a certificate of appreciation presented by a representative of the Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia at his office yesterday.