Nishan-e-Haider

Nishan-e-Haider
Awarded by Pakistan
Type Gallantry Award
Eligibility Military only (Conferable on all ranks)
Awarded for "... to those who have performed acts of greatest heroism or most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger and have shown bravery of the highest order or devotion to the country, in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air ..."[1]
Status Currently awarded
Post-nominals NH
Statistics
Established 16 March 1957[2]
First awarded First Kashmir War, 1948
Last awarded Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed, 1999
Total awarded 10
Posthumous
awards		 all
Precedence
Next (higher) None
Next (lower) (2) Hilal-i-Jurat
(3) Sitara-i-Jurat
(4) Tamgha-i-Jurat

Nishan-e-Haider or Nishan-e-Hyder (Urdu: نشان حیدر, translated as "Emblem of Haider, where Haider is the epithet of Hazrat Ali and means Lion", abbreviated as NH) is the highest military decoration given by Pakistan (it is the equivalent to the Victoria Cross and the Medal of Honor under the British Honours System and the United States Honors System respectively). It was established in 1957 after Pakistan became a Republic, however, it was instituted retrospectively from Independence in 1947. It is awarded to military personnel, regardless of rank, for extraordinary bravery in combat.[3] The award is considered to be the highest military award and is only awarded to those who have sacrificed their life. Its exclusivity may be gauged by the fact that since it was established only 11 awards have been made, along with one equivalent award. To date all awards have been made posthumously. However, death of the individual during the act of extreme courage is not mandatory for qualification for Nishan-e-Haider. Of the 10 recipients, 9 have been from the Pakistan Army, one has been from the Pakistan Air Force and no one from Pakistan Navy.

Contents

The Decoration

Recipients

To date, no living person has received the award.

  1. Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed (1910–July 27, 1948), 2/1st Punjab
  2. Major Muhammad Tufail Shaheed (1914–August 7, 1958), East Pakistan Rifles
  3. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (1928–September 10, 1965), 17 Punjab
  4. Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed (1938–1971), 4 FF
  5. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed (1951–August 20, 1971), PAF Training Squadron
  6. Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed (1943–December 6, 1971), 6 FF
  7. Sowar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed (1949–December 10, 1971), 20 Lancers
  8. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed (1944–December 17, 1971), 15 Punjab
  9. Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed (1970–July 5, 1999), 12 NLI
  10. Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed (1967–July 7, 1999), 12 NLI
  11. Naik Saif Ali Janjua (25 April 1922–26 October 1948), Azad Kashmir Regiment

See also

References

  1. ^ PAF Combat website on military awards
  2. ^ Robertson, Megan. "Order of Haider (Nishan-i-Haider)". Medals.org. http://www.medals.org.uk/pakistan/pakistan001.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-06. 
  3. ^ "Honours and Awards". Pakistan Army. http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182. Retrieved 2009-06-06. 

External links

Gallantry Awards
Non-Operational Awards
(Outwith Enemy Engagement)
Civillian Military Awards
Current
Obsolete