Editing Nishan-e-Haider

{{short description|Highest military award of Pakistan}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2015}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox award
| name             = Nishan-e-Haider <br /> {{Nastaliq|نشان حیدر}}
| image            = Nishan-i-Haider-PAK.jpg
| caption          = Obverse of the '''Nishan-e-Haider'''
| presenter        = [[Government of Pakistan]]
| country          = [[Pakistan|Islamic Republic of Pakistan]]
| type             = Medal
| eligibility      = Military personnel only
| 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. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|title=Honours and Awards|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504015214/https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|archive-date=4 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
| campaign         = 
| status           = Active
| description      = 
| motto            = 
| clasps           = 
| post-nominals    = '''NH'''
| established      = 16 March 1957<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medals.org.uk/pakistan/pakistan001.htm|title=ODM of Pakistan: Order of the Lion}}</ref> (applied retrospectively from 1948 onwards)
| firstawarded     = 16 March 1957 – [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]], Captain [[Muhammad Sarwar (military commander)|Muhammad Sarwar]], Pakistan army
| lastawarded      = 15 July 1999 – [[Kargil War]], Havildar [[Lalak Jan]], Pakistan army
| total_awarded    = 11
| total_awarded_posthumously = 11
| total_recipients = 
| precedence_label =
| individual       = 
| higher           = ''None''
| same             = [[File:Hilal-e-Kashmir.gif|110px]]
<br>       '''[[Hilal-e-Kashmir]]'''         
| lower            = [[File:Hilal-e-Jurat.png|110px]]<br>       '''[[Hilal-e-Jurat]]'''
| related          = 
| caption2         = 
| website          = {{URL|https://pakistanarmy.gov.pk/Honours-Awards.php|pakistanarmy.gov.pk}}|image2=<div style="text-align: center;">[[File:Nishan-e-Haider.png|150px]]<br>
[[Service Ribbon]] of '''Nishan-e-Haider'''</div>|awardname=Nishan-e-Haider}}

'''Nishan-e-Haider''' ('''NH'''; {{Langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|نشان حیدر}}|lit=Mark of the Lion}} or 'Emblem of the Lion') is the highest [[military decoration|military gallantry award]] of Pakistan.<ref name="The News International 2017">{{cite web | title=First 'Nishan-e-Haider' recipient Sawar Shaheed remembered – Lahore | website=The News International | date=11 December 2017 | url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/254776-first-nishan-e-haider-recipient-sawar-shaheed-remembered | access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="ThePrint 2019">{{cite web | title=How an Indian officer helped an enemy captain win Pakistan's highest gallantry award | website=ThePrint | date=24 July 2019 | url=https://theprint.in/defence/how-an-indian-officer-helped-an-enemy-captain-win-pakistans-highest-gallantry-award/266973/ | access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref> The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded only to members of the [[Pakistan 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 the [[Urdu]] language.<ref name="Times of Islamabad 2018">{{cite web | title=Nishan e Haider: Detailed account of 10 heroes of Pakistan | website=Times of Islamabad | date=7 September 2018 | url=https://timesofislamabad.com/07-Sep-2018/nishan-e-haider-detailed-account-of-10-heroes-of-pakistan | access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref> The word "Haider" is also the [[epithet]] of [[Ali]], 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 by [[Muhammad]]. He is known by his courage, bravery and power in Islam.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ali-Muslim-caliph|title=ʿAlī {{!}} Muslim caliph|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2018-02-04|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The Nishan-e-Haider was established by the [[Government of Pakistan]] and named after [[Ali]] on 14 August 1947,{{citation needed|date=September 2017}} 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 the [[Pakistan Army|Army]] and one from the [[Pakistan Air Force|Air Force]].

Although some consider it equivalent to the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Victoria Cross]] and the [[United States]] [[Medal 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.

==Criterion==
The Nishan-e-Haider can be awarded to all ranks of the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Armed 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.<ref name=honours>{{cite web|url=http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|title=Honours and Awards|publisher=Pakistan Army|access-date=6 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531012800/http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|archive-date=31 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Nishan e Haider holders of Pakistan Army ~ PAKISTAN DEFENCE BLOG|url = http://www.defenceblog.org/2010/11/nishan-e-haider-holders-of-pakistan.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110317111828/http://www.defenceblog.org/2010/11/nishan-e-haider-holders-of-pakistan.html|url-status = usurped|archive-date = 17 March 2011|website = defenceblog.org|access-date = 2015-08-24}}</ref>

==Manufacturing==
The Nishan-e-Haider is manufactured by [[Pakistan Mint]] on the order of the Ministry of Defence. It is forged from captured enemy equipment<ref>{{cite news|last=Arshad|first=Ambreen|date=5 September 2015|title=They rest in honoured glory|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1204668/they-rest-in-honoured-glory|work=Dawn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906034916/https://www.dawn.com/news/1204668/they-rest-in-honoured-glory|archive-date=6 September 2015|access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> and consists of 88% copper, 10% gold, and 2% zinc.

==Recipients==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Recipients
|-
!width=1% | No.
!align=center|Name of the recipient
!align=center|Regiment
!align=center|Rank
!align=center|Battle
!align=center|Date of death
|-

| align="center" |1
|[[Raja Muhammad Sarwar]]
|2 Punjab Regiment(Haidri Awal), [[Pakistan Army]]     
|[[Captain]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]]
|27 July 1948
|-
| align="center" |2
|[[Saif Ali Janjua]]
|5 Azad Kashmir regiment(HAIDER DIL)/18 Azad Kashmir Regiment, [[Pakistan Army]]     
|[[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]]
|26 October 1948
|-
| align="center" | 3
|[[Tufail Mohammad]]
|13 Punjab Regiment, Border Guards East Pakistan Rifles, [[Pakistan Army]] 
|[[Major (rank)|Major]]
|Indo-Pakistani border skirmishes of 1958
|7 August 1958
|-
| align="center" | 4
|[[Raja Aziz Bhatti]]
|17 Punjab Regiment, [[Pakistan Army]] 
|[[Major (rank)|Major]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
|10 September 1965
|-
| align="center" | 5
|[[Rashid Minhas]]
|[[No. 2 Squadron PAF|No. 2 Fighter Conversion Unit]], Pakistan Air Force
|[[Pilot Officer]]
|[[Bangladesh Liberation War]]
|20 August 1971
|-
| align="center" | 6
|[[Muhammad Akram]]
|4 Frontier Force Regiment, [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Major (rank)|Major]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
|5 December 1971
|-
| align="center" | 7
|[[Shabbir Sharif]]
|6 Frontier Force Regiment, [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Major (rank)|Major]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
|6 December 1971
|-
| align="center" | 8
|[[Muhammad Hussain (soldier)|Muhammad Hussain]] 
|20 Lancers, Punjab (Armoured Corps), [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Sowar]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
|10 December 1971
|-
| align="center" | 9
|[[Muhammad Mahfuz]] 
|15 Punjab Regiment, [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Lance naik]]
|[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
|17 December 1971
|-
| align="center" | 10
|[[Karnal Sher Khan]]
| 12 Northern Light Infantry, [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Captain]]
|[[Kargil War]]
|5 July 1999
|-
| align="center" | 11
|[[Lalak Jan]]
|12 Northern Light Infantry, [[Pakistan Army]]
|[[Havaldar|Havildar]]
|[[Kargil War]]
|7 July 1999
|-
|}

== Legacy ==
Monuments or places named after recipients of Nishan-E-Haider include: 
* [[Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar Bhatti Shaheed Monument]], [[Gujar Khan Tehsil|Sanghori]]<ref>Muhammad Imran Saeed (2011) [https://www.flickr.com/photos/32072133@N06/5997143543 ''Captain Raja Muhammad S. Bhatti Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider on '''Flickr''''']</ref>
* [[Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Memorial]], [[Lahore]]
* [[Shrine of Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed]], [[Gujrat District|Gujrat]]
* [[Rashid Minhas Boulevard]], [[islamabad|E-9 Islamabad]] 
* [[Rashid Minhas Road]], [[Gulberg Town, Karachi|Gulberg Town]] [[Karachi]] 
* [[Muhammad Akram|Major Akram Shaheed Memorial]], [[Jhelum]] 
* [[Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed Monument & Park]], [[Defence Housing Authority|DHA]] [[Lahore]]<ref>DHA Lahore (2021) ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T82Lsb73JAE Inauguration of Major Shabbir Sharif monument & park]''</ref>
* [[Sawar Muhammad Hussain Stadium]], [[Gujar Khan Tehsil|Gujar Khan]]
* [[Army Stadium, Peshawar|Karnal Sher Khan Stadium]], [[Peshawar]]
* [[Karnal Sher Khan Cadet College]], [[Swabi District|Swabi]]
* [[Karnal Sher Interchange]], [[Mardan]] 
* [[Lalak Jan Park]], [[Multan]]
* [[Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Road]], [[Islamabad]]

== See also ==
{{Portal|Pakistan}}
*[[Hilal-e-Kashmir]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|1=https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=31|name=Official list of Pakistan Army recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider}}
*{{Official website|http://www.paf.gov.pk/paf_shaheeds.html|name=Official list of Pakistan Air Force recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider}}

{{Pakistan honours and decorations}}
{{Highest Awards for gallantry}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nishan-E-Haider}}
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Recipients of Nishan-e-Haider|*]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1957]]
[[Category:1957 establishments in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Courage awards]]