Writer: Lieutenant Colonel Imran Hassan Khan Niazi (retired)

Nishan-i-Haider, literally meaning the Mark of the Lion, is Pakistan’s highest gallantry award and takes precedence over all civil and military awards. It is awarded only to those members of the Armed Forces, the Frontier Corps and the Frontier Constabulary (when serving under the Federal Government), who have performed acts of the greatest heroism, or of the 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. The recipient has the privilege of adding the letters ‘NH’ after the name.1 It has however, only been awarded posthumously so far. The recipient’s number, rank, name, regiment and date of award are inscribed at the back of the medal.

This most prestigious award is cast as a five-pointed star in bronze texture. The centre is in a white enamelled background, gilded with a wreath around a star and crescent. It has a cupronickel metal edging with the inscription Nishan-i-Haider on its bar, augmented with a 3.81 cm (1 ½ inch) ribbon of Pakistan water green plain silk. It is forged from gunmetal constituting 88% copper, 10% tin and 2% zinc.2 When the ribbon is worn without the medal, a miniature replica star is to be attached to the ribbon.

This supreme award was instituted on 23rd March 1957 on Republic Day, eligible with effect from 14th August 1947, conferring first NH to an action of 27th July 1948. From 1948 till 1999, it has been awarded to only 11 martyrs. A brief introduction of all recipients is given in subsequent paragraphs.

Captain Muhammad Sarwar

Captain Muhammad Sarwar (shaheed) is the first recipient during the Kashmir Liberation War 1948. While serving with the 2nd Battalion of 1st Punjab Regiment (now 2nd Battalion The Punjab Regiment), he was martyred while clearing the enemy fence during an attack on 27th July. Despite being critically wounded, he silenced one of the medium machine guns (MMG) with grenades, and kept controlling his troops. He finally succumbed to a burst of bullets received in the chest. The action was a success, with heavy casualties inflicted upon the enemy.

Major Tufail Muhammad

Major Tufail Muhammad (shaheed) ex 13th Battalion The Punjab Regiment was serving on secondment with East Pakistan Rifles. On 7th August 1958, he was ordered to recapture Lakshmipur area which was illegally occupied by India. In a fierce attack he was wounded by machine gun fire but continued and, despite his injuries, entangled his counterpart Indian major. The area was successfully reclaimed, alongwith taking enemy prisoners. He succumbed to his wounds, while being evacuated to Comilla.

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti (shaheed) was serving with the 17th Battalion The Punjab Regiment during PakistanIndia War 1965 at Lahore. Over-fatigued, sleepless and involved in the defence of Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian Link Canal (BRBL) for many days and nights, he also launched an attack to clear a position occupied by the enemy, on 11th September. On 12th September, he was martyred by an enemy tank shell, while directing fire of own artillery guns.

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas (shaheed) was on conversion course on T-33 aircraft at Masroor Air Force Base, with Number 2 Squadron. It was a period of insurgency in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). On 20th August 1971, his instructor Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman, a Bengali officer, made an attempt to overpower him in order to take the aircraft to India. During the struggle, Rashid Minhas crashed the aircraft near Thatta, thereby killing both, and hence prevented his instructor from achieving his mala fide intentions. He is the first and the only one from the Air Force, to receive this coveted distinction.

Major Muhammad Akram

Major Muhammad Akram (shaheed) was martyred on the eastern front during Pakistan-India War 1971, while serving with the 4th Battalion the Frontier Force Regiment, during a successful defence of Hilli. The enemy attempted to capture the position by coming in wave after wave, supported by armour and artillery, in heavy numbers, for days. They were beaten back successfully. Any minor gains of the enemy were also re-taken through fierce counter-attacks. Major Akram was martyred on night 5/6 December by a tank hit, when he alongwith his anti-tank party crawled forward, and hit three enemy tanks. The enemy was unable to capture Hilli, until the unit was told to pull back.

Major Shabbir Sharif

Major Shabbir Sharif (shaheed) was serving with 6th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment during PakistanIndia War 1971, in the Suleimanki area. Already a recipient of Sitara-i-Jurat in Pakistan-India War 1965 as a young subaltern, Major Shabbir is considered the most decorated soldier of Pakistan Army. His company under his dynamic leadership captured the high ground near Sulemanki Headworks, destroyed four enemy tanks and killed 43 soldiers. He was martyred during the 17th successful repulse of enemy counter-attacks, on 6th December. During this successful defence, he also killed his counterpart company commander in a hand-to-hand fight. The enemy was never able to re-capture that position.

Sowar Muhammad Hussain

Sowar Muhammad Hussain (shaheed) was serving with 20th Lancers during PakistanIndia War 1971, in ZafarwalShakargarh area. On 10th December he directed accurate fire of recoilless rifles at Harar Khurd, while the enemy was attempting to breach minefields. His action resulted in the destruction of 16 enemy tanks. He was martyred by a machine gun burst on his chest.

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz (shaheed) was serving with 15th Battalion The Punjab Regiment during Pakistan-India War 1971 in Wagah-Attari area. On night 17/18 December, his company was ordered to occupy village Pulkanjri, which was found occupied by the enemy in concrete bunkers. The assault was pinned down due to heavy fire from an enemy machine gun. He assaulted the enemy bunker under a spray of bullets, jumped inside the bunker, killed the firer by choking him to death with his bare hands, while being stabbed by the bayonet of another enemy soldier. His action was acknowledged by the enemy company commander in the following words: -

 ‘Never such a single handed heroic action by an individual has been witnessed before’.

Captain Karnal Sher Khan

Captain Karnal Sher Khan (shaheed) ex 27th battalion The Sind Regiment was serving with 12th Battalion The Northern Light Infantry during the Kargil conflict of 1999. He defended five vital posts, which he established with his soldiers at the height of 17,000 feet in Gultari area. On 5th July, the enemy with the help of two battalions, managed to capture some portion of one of his posts. Despite being outnumbered, he led a counter-attack and recaptured the lost portion, conducted many raids in enemy area, and inflicted heavy losses upon the enemy. He met martyrdom in his last valiant counter-attack, when he received a burst of fire in the chest.12 His body was received by Pakistan with a citation13 initiated by the Indian Commander.

Havildar Lalak Jan

Havildar Lalak Jan (shaheed) was serving with the 12th Battalion The Northern Light Infantry during Kargil Conflict of 1999 at Gultari sector. Voluntarily deployed on the front position at a jagged peak, he repulsed many aggressive attempts by the enemy and inflicted heavy losses. On 7th July, despite being seriously injured due to enemy’s heavy mortar shelling, he frustrated the enemy through his resilience and successful retention of his position. He met martyrdom after he succumbed to his fatal injuries.

Naik Saif Ali Janjua

Naik Saif Ali Janjua (shaheed) was a veteran of World War II from the Royal Corps of Indian Engineers. He retired after the war and joined in the establishment of Haidri Force on 1 January 1948, as Sher-e-Riasti Battalion, under Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Sher Khan. As a platoon commander during the Kashmir Liberation War 1948, he displayed exemplary gallantry during the defence of his post at Bhudha Khanna area, where he inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy. During the battle he was seriously injured, and embraced martyrdom on 26th October. On 14th March 1949, the Defence Council of Azad Jammu & Kashmir awarded him Hilal-eKashmir (posthumous), and on 30th November 1995, Government of Pakistan declared his Hilal-e-Kashmir equivalent to Nishan-i-Haider.15 During the reorganisation of Kashmir liberation forces into Azad Kashmir Regular Forces (AKRF) in October 1947, Shere-Riasti Battalion became 18th Battalion AKRF (now 18th Battalion The Azad Kashmir Regiment). The epithet Haider is derived from one of over 300 names for lion in Arabic, meaning the fierce lion. The word is attributed to multiple synonymous explanations for bravery, also refers to Hazrat Ali (R.A) who was conferred the title of Asadullah (The Lion of Allah) by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W). It also means ‘the bravest amongst the brave’, and ‘the fountain of valour and courage’. ‘Naara-eHaideri’ is also the battle cry of Pakistan Army. The award was initially suggested as Nishan-i-Ali in 1951, but finalised as Nishan-i-Haider by Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra in 1955.16 It replaced the Victoria Cross on the independence of Pakistan. The recipients, being shaheed, are commemorated twice a year, by a guard of honour at their resting places, on the date of shahadat, and on the occasion of Defence and Martyrs’ Day (6th September).