Monday, October 15, 2012

Nishaan-e-Haider

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 has only been awarded to those who have sacrificed their life for the country. 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 11 recipients, 10 have been from the Pakistan Army, one has been from the Pakistan Air Force and no one from Pakistan Navy.

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 11
Posthumous
awards all
Precedence
Next (higher) None
Next (lower) (2) Hilal-i-Jurat
(3) Sitara-i-Jurat
(4) Tamgha-i-Jurat

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: Made from surrendered enemy gun metal.

Recipients
To date, no living person has received the award.
  1. Naik Saif Ali Janjua is also considered as a Nishan-e-Haider award recipient because he got Hilal-e-Kashmir from the government of Azad Kashmir. Hilal-e-Kashmir is equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider. Therefore total eleven persons are considered to be the recipient of Nishan-e-Haider

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