Senate of Pakistan

Nishan-e-Haider

Nishan-e-Haider: The Highest Military Award of Pakistan, made of gun metal, captured from the enemy in the previous wars, with a green ribbon and a star with five points is awarded to soldiers who show great feats of bravery and courage in war or on active duty. It is a coincidence that all recipients of "Nishan-e-Haider" gave away the most valuable thing they had - their lives - in the service of the nation and in defending the frontiers of the motherland.

So far 7 officers (including one from the Pakistan Air force) and three men have been awarded with this gallantry award. Here is a brief account of these men, who would be remembered for their feats of courage, bravery and selflessness.

Captain Muhammad Sarwar

Captain Muhammad Sarwar was born in village Singhori (Rawalpindi) in 1910, and joined the British Army (infantry -Punjab Regiment) in 1944. Upon creation of Pakistan he joined Pakistan Army. In July 1948 in war in Kashmir with India, 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.   Read more...

Naik Saif Ali Janjua

Naik Saif Ali Khan was born on 25 April 1922 in Khandbaz Tehsil Nakial (Azad Jammu & Kashmir). He was enlisted in the Royal Corps of Engineers in British Indian Army on 18 March 1941. After completing his service in the British Indian Army in 1947, he came back to his native town and started establishing Haidri Force with the support of Sardar Fateh Muhammad Karailvi. On 1st Janaury 1948, Haidri F   Read more...

Major Tufail Muhammad

Major Tufail Muhammad was born in 1914 and was commissioned in the 16th Punjab Regiment in 1943. Upon creation of Pakistan, he joined Pakistan Army. In 1958, during border skirmishes with India in the erstwhile East Pakistan, Major Tufail Muhammad was commanding a company of the East Pakistan Rifles near the town of Lakshmipur. The company encircled an illegal Indian post, which was erected by the Ind   Read more...

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti was born in 1928 in Hong Kong and joined the 1st PMA Long Course and was commissioned in 1950 in the Punjab Regiment. He was a very well read officer, having passed out with the coveted Sword of Honour and knew many foreign languages. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, he was commanding a company in general area Burki of the Lahore Sector. Major Bhatti's defences on the famous BR   Read more...

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas was born on 17th February 1951 and during 1971, he was under training in the Pakistan Air Force. In August 1971, when the Indians had put lot of pressure in the eastern wing, Rashid Minhas was busy in his routine training at PAF Base Masroor. On that fateful day of 20 August 1971, while he was taxiing his aircraft towards to runway, a Bengali dissident Instructor Pilot (IP)   Read more...

Major Muhammad Akram

Major Akram was born in 1938 in village Dingha (Gujrat) and was commissioned in the Frontier Force Regiment in 1963. During 1971 Indo - Pak war, Major Akram was commanding a rifle company of the 4th FF Regiment in the forward localities of the Hilli district. The position held by Major Akram and his company was very vital and had blocked enemy's route of advance. Therefore it came under continuous   Read more...

Major Shabir Sharif

Major Shabir Sharif was born in 1943 in village Kunjah (Gujrat) and was commissioned in 1964 in the Frontier Force Regiment. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Major Shabir Sharif was awarded with Sitara-e-Jurrat (the third highest gallantry military award) for his courage and bravery. In 1971, Major Shabir's 6 FF Regiment, was ordered in December 1971 to capture high ground near Sulemanki Headwork def   Read more...

Sowar Muhammad Hussain

Sowar (the basic rank in the Armoured Corps equivalent to a sepoy) Muhammad Hussain was born in 1949 in Dhok Pir Bakhsh and joined the 20th Lancers (Armoured Corps) as a driver in 1966. Sowar Hussain was always eager to perform jobs that were not normally meant for drivers and was always in fore fronts to help others. During the 1971 war, he spotted the enemy digging along a minefield near the village   Read more...

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfooz

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfooz was born in 1944 at Pind Malikan (District of Rawalpindi) and was enlisted in the 15th Punjab Regiment as a sepoy in 1962. In 1971 Indo Pak war, he was serving in the 'A' Company and his unit was deployed on the Wagah-Attari Sector near Lahore. The enemy advancing elements pinned down his company positions by unceasing frontal and cross fire from automatic weapons.    Read more...

Captain Karnal Sher Khan

Captain "Karnal (meaning a Colonel)" Sher Khan was commissioned in Pakistan Army in 1990 and later joined the Northern Light Infantry somewhere in 1998. Right from his childhood, he displayed feats of courage and was nicknamed "Kernal" by his fellows, which ultimately became a part of his name. Captain Karnal Sher Khan rose to the heights of glory when he emerged as the symbol of m   Read more...

Havildar Lalak Jan

Side by side the officers, the men of the Northern Light Infantry, like Havildar Lalak Jan, displayed similar feats of gallantry as were displayed by Captain Kernal Sher Khan and fought furiously to thwart heavy Indian attacks. Although an appointment holder, whose task is to look after his men and provide administrative support, Havildar Lalak Jan volunteered himself to be deployed on the front posit   Read more...