The Nishan-e-Haider is Pakistan's highest military award, given to soldiers who have displayed exceptional bravery during wars and border conflicts. Since its inception, only 10 individuals have received this honor, including officers and non-officers across various conflicts from 1948 to 1999. The document details the heroic acts of several recipients of the award and highlights their valiant contributions during critical military operations.

1. Nishan-e-Haider
The highest military award in Pakistan
By Inqilab Ruknuddin Patel
inqilab@ruknuddin.com

2. Nishan-e-Haider
The highest Military Award of
Pakistan has been awarded to
Shaheed Soldiers who have shown
bravery and courage in Times of
War & Border
battles:1948,1956,1965,1971,1999

3. Nishan-e-Haider
Till now 7 officers and 3 Men
(Non-Officer) have been
awarded Nishan-e-Haider.
Only one Nishan-e-Haider has
been awarded to Air Force.

4. Nishan-e-Haider
War No. of Nishan-e-Haider
1948 War 1
1958 Fight 1
1965 War 1
1971 War 5
1991 Kargil Conflict 2

5. Captain Mohammad Sarwar Shaheed
Born: 1910, Singhori Village, District of Rawalpindi
Commissioned: 1944, Punjab Regiment
During the Kashmir Operations soon after the
birth of Pakistan, as Company Commander of
the 2nd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment,
Captain Sarwar launched an attack causing
heavy casualties against a strongly fortified
enemy position in the Uri Sector under heavy
machine gun, grenade and mortar fire. But on
the 27th July 1948, as he moved forward with
six of his men to cut their way through a barbed
wire barrier, he died when his chest was riddled
by a burst of heavy machine gun fire.

6. Major Tufail Mohammad Shaheed
Born: 1914, Hoshiarpur
Commissioned: 1943, 16th Punjab Regiment
Early in August 1958, Major Tufail, a Company
Commander in the East Pakistan Rifles,
encircled an illegal Indian post, which violated
the internationally recognized boundary
between the two countries, in the Lakshmipur
area. And, though mortally wounded in the
hand-to-hand encounter that followed, Major
Tufail continued to lead his troops till the Indians
were driven out, leaving four dead and three
prisoners. He died the same day on the 7th
August 1958.

7. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed
Born: 1928, Hong Kong
Commissioned: 1950, Punjab Regiment
On 6th September 1965, as Company
Commander in the Burki Area of the Lahore
Sector, Major Bhatti chose to move with his
forward platoon under incessant artillery and
tank attacks for five days and nights in Defence
of the strategically vital BRB Canal. Throughout,
undaunghted by constant fire from enemy small
arms, tanks and artillery, he organized the
Defence of the canal, directing his men to
answer the fire until he was hit by an enemy
tank shell which killed him on 10th September
1965.

8. Major Mohammad Akram Shaheed
Born: 1938, Dingha Village, District of Gujrat
Commissioned: 1963, Frontier Force Regiment
Major Muhammad Akram and a company of the
4th FF Regiment which he commanded in the
forward area of the Hilli district, in East Pakistan
in 1971, came under continuous and heavy air,
artillery and Armour attacks. But for an entire
fortnight, despite enemy superiority in both
numbers and fire power, he and his men, in
near super human ability, repulsed every attack,
inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Major
Akram died during this epic battle in 1971.

9. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed
Born: 17th February 1951
Commissioned: 1971, Pilot, P.A.F.
Pilot Officer Minhas was taxiing for take-off on a
routine training flight when an Instructor Pilot
forced his way into the rear cockpit, seized
control of the aircraft and took off. When Minhas
realized that the absconding pilot was heading
towards India, he tried to regain control of the
plane was unable to do so. Knowing that it
meant certain death, he damaged the controls
and forced the aircraft to crash thirty two miles
short of the border on 20th August 1971.

10. Major Shabir Sharif Shaheed
Born: 1943, Kunjah Village, District of Gujrat
Commissioned: 1964, Frontier Force Regiment
ground near Sulemanki headwork defended by
more than a company of the Assam Regiment
supported by a squadron of tanks. In a well nigh
super human action, for the next three days and
nights after crossing a minefield and massive
obstacles and killing forty three soldiers and
destroying four tanks, Major Sharif and his men
held two enemy battalions at bay. But after he
took over an anti-tank gun from his gunner in an
attack he was killed by a direct hit on the
afternoon of 6th December.

11. Jawan Sowar Mohammad Hussain Shaheed
Born: 1949, Dhok Pir Bakhsh (now Dhok Muhammad Hussain Janjua)
Enlisted: 1966, Driver
Although only a driver in the 20th Lancers, when
war broke out in 1971 Sowar Muhammad
Hussain took an active part in every battle in
which his unit was engaged unmindful of any
danger, no matter how grave. When he spotted
the enemy digging in along a minefield near the
village of Harar Khurd in December 1971 on his
own initiative he directed accurate fire at the
enemy resulting in the destruction of sixteen of
their tanks. But while directing fire from
recoilless rifles, he was hit in the chest by a
burst of machine gun fire and died on 10th
December 1971.

12. Lance Naik Mohammad Mahfuz Shaheed
Born: 1944, Pind Malikan (now Mahfuzabad) District of Rawalpindi
Enlisted: 1962, Sipahi
Serving in the 'A' Company of the 15th Punjab
Regiment, when the war started in 1971, Lance Naik
Muhammad Mahfuz was deployed on the Wagah-
Attari Sector in East Pakistan where his company was
pinned down by unceasing frontal and cross fire from
automatic weapons. Although his machine gun was
destroyed by an enemy shell, Mahfuz advanced
towards an enemy bunker whose automatic fire had
inflicted heavy casualties. Even though wounded in
both legs by shell splinters, when he reached the
bunker he stood up and pounced on the enemy, but
was hit. Although unarmed and amidst the enemy, he
caught hold of one of the enemy and was strangling
him when another bayoneted him to death during the
night of 17th December 1971..

13. Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed
Enlisted: 1990, Second Lt.
Serving in the 'A' Company of the 15th Punjab
Regiment, when the war started in 1971, Lance Naik
Muhammad Mahfuz was deployed on the Wagah-
Attari Sector in East Pakistan where his company was
pinned down by unceasing frontal and cross fire from
automatic weapons. Although his machine gun was
destroyed by an enemy shell, Mahfuz advanced
towards an enemy bunker whose automatic fire had
inflicted heavy casualties. Even though wounded in
both legs by shell splinters, when he reached the
bunker he stood up and pounced on the enemy, but
was hit. Although unarmed and amidst the enemy, he
caught hold of one of the enemy and was strangling
him when another bayoneted him to death during the
night of 17th December 1971..

14. Havaldaar Lalak Jan Shaheed
Hav. Lalak Jan of the Northern Light Infantry (NLI)
was one of those many who as a junior leader fought
from the forefront to thwart heavy Indian attacks. He
volunteered himself to be deployed on the front
positions located at the jagged peak in May 1999.
Hav. Lalak driven back many aggressive ventures by
the enemy and imposed colossal losses on them. On
July 7, Hav. Lalak sustained serious injuries as
enemies pounded the area with heavy mortar shelling.
But despite being injured, he retained his position and
frustrated the Indian assault. He, however,
succumbed to his injuries at the same post he was
defending. Hav. Lalak was awarded with the Nishan-i-
Haider for his dauntless courage and devotion.

15. The End
By
Inqilab Ruknuddin Patel
Senior Computer Teacher
KN Academy Main Campus Malir Karachi
RIC: Ruknuddin Institute of Computer