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| Nishan-e-Haider نشان حیدر | |
|---|---|
 Obverse of theNishan-e-Haider | |
| Type | Medal |
| Awarded for | Acts of greatest heroism in circumstances of extreme danger in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air.[1] |
| Country | Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
| Presented by | Government of Pakistan |
| Eligibility | Military personnel only |
| Post-nominals | NH |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 16 March 1957[2] (applied retrospectively from 1948 onwards) |
| First award | 16 March 1957 –Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, CaptainMuhammad Sarwar, Pakistan army |
| Final award | 15 July 1999 –Kargil War, HavildarLalak Jan, Pakistan army |
| Total | 11 |
| Total awarded posthumously | 11 |
| Website | pakistanarmy.gov.pk |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | None |
| Equivalent |  Hilal-e-Kashmir |
| Next (lower) |  Hilal-e-Jurat |
Nishan-e-Haider (NH;Urdu:نشان حیدر,lit. 'Mark of the Lion' or 'Emblem of the Lion') is the highestmilitary gallantry award of Pakistan.[3][4] The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded only to members of thePakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy in air, land, or sea. It has been awarded only 11 times since Pakistan's independence in 1947.
Nishan-e-Haider literally means "Emblem of the Lion" in theUrdu language.[5] The word "Haider" is also theepithet ofAli, who is referred to as the 'Lion of Allah', a valiant warrior and leader. Ali was the fourth Caliph of Islam and declared bravest person byMuhammad. He is known by his courage, bravery and power in Islam.[6]
The Nishan-e-Haider was established by theGovernment of Pakistan and named afterAli on 14 August 1947,[citation needed] the year that Pakistan became a republic. It was applied retrospectively from the date of Pakistan's independence on 14 August 1947. It is Pakistan's highest award and takes precedence over all military and civil awards. Of the eleven Nishan-e-Haider recipients to date, ten have been from theArmy and one from theAir Force.
Although some consider it equivalent to theBritishVictoria Cross and theUnited StatesMedal of Honor, it is unique in that it has so far been awarded only posthumously. At one point in time the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan was asked why it was only awarded posthumously, his response reportedly that if it is awarded to a living person he may be involved in dishonourable conduct in the future which may disgrace the Award.
The Nishan-e-Haider can be awarded to all ranks of theArmed Forces for showing feats of extraordinary courage in confronting the enemy. As a matter of practice and precedent, it has only been awarded where it has been established that the recipient acted despite high risks and was martyred (shaheed) in the act.[7][8]
The Nishan-e-Haider is manufactured byPakistan Mint on the order of the Ministry of Defence. It is forged from captured enemy equipment[9] and consists of 88% copper, 10% gold, and 2% zinc.
| No. | Name of the recipient | Regiment | Rank | Battle | Date of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Muhammad Sarwar | 2 Punjab Regiment(Haidri Awal),Pakistan Army | Captain | Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 | 27 July 1948 |
| 2 | Saif Ali Janjua | 5 Azad Kashmir regiment(HAIDER DIL)/18 Azad Kashmir Regiment,Pakistan Army | Naik | Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 | 26 October 1948 |
| 3 | Tufail Mohammad | 13 Punjab Regiment, Border Guards East Pakistan Rifles,Pakistan Army | Major | Indo-Pakistani border skirmishes of 1958 | 7 August 1958 |
| 4 | Raja Aziz Bhatti | 17 Punjab Regiment,Pakistan Army | Major | Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 | 10 September 1965 |
| 5 | Rashid Minhas | No. 2 Fighter Conversion Unit, Pakistan Air Force | Pilot Officer | Pakistan Civil War | 20 August 1971 |
| 6 | Muhammad Akram | 4 Frontier Force Regiment,Pakistan Army | Major | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | 5 December 1971 |
| 7 | Shabbir Sharif | 6 Frontier Force Regiment,Pakistan Army | Major | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | 6 December 1971 |
| 8 | Muhammad Hussain | 20 Lancers, Punjab (Armoured Corps),Pakistan Army | Sowar | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | 10 December 1971 |
| 9 | Muhammad Mahfuz | 15 Punjab Regiment,Pakistan Army | Lance naik | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | 17 December 1971 |
| 10 | Karnal Sher Khan | 12 Northern Light Infantry,Pakistan Army | Captain | Kargil War | 5 July 1999 |
| 11 | Lalak Jan | 12 Northern Light Infantry,Pakistan Army | Havildar | Kargil War | 7 July 1999 |
Monuments or places named after recipients of Nishan-E-Haider include:
| Gallantry awards |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Non-operational awards (without enemy engagement) |
| |
| Civilian military awards |
| |
