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.

The Decoration

• Category: Operational (Awarded to deceased members of the Pakistani Military Forces whose death occurred during times of conflict)
• Definition: It is the highest Military award and holds seniority among civil and military awards. It is open to all ranks for acts of heroism/conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger or devotion to the country in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air.
• Manufacture: It is made from the surrendered enemy gun made with metal.

Recipients

Captain Sarwar Shaheed · Major Tufail Shaheed  · Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed · Major Akram Shaheed · Rashid Minhas Shaheed
Major Shabbir Shaheed · Sowar Hussain Shaheed · Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed · Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed · Lalak Jan Shaheed

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

See also

• Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces
• Pakistan Military

Pakistan portal

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

• Official list of Pakistan Army recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider
• Official list of Pakistan Air Force recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider
• Nishan-e-Hyder
• Nishan-e-Hyder
• Nishan-e-Hyder
• Nishan-e-Haider