A List of All Nishan-e-Haider Holders

Nishan-e-Haider is the highest military award awarded to military personnel with extraordinary achievements in military combat. Although it was implemented retroactively from Pakistan’s independence in 1947, it was formed in 1957, when the country became a republic. Nishan-e-Haider holders have the utmost importance in the history of Pakistan.

Only those who have given their lives in service to the nation have received this honour. Nevertheless, the death of a person during the conduct of extraordinary heroism is not essential for qualifying for Nishan-e-Haider. Of the 11 honorees so far, 10 were members of the Pakistan Armed Forces, while one belonged to the Pakistan Air Force.

Graana blog has compiled a complete list of all the Nishan-e-Haider holders in Pakistan below.

 

Overview of Nishan-e-Haider

 

Attribute	Description
Name	Nishan-e-Haider
Translation	“Mark of the Lion”
Country	Pakistan
Established	16 March 1957
Significance	Highest military award for bravery in Pakistan
Eligibility	Members of the Pakistan Armed Forces
Criteria	Acts of extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy, risking or sacrificing life
Number Awarded	11 recipients to date
Posthumous Awards	All awards have been made posthumously
First Recipient	Raja Muhammad Sarwar (1948, retroactively awarded)
Most Recent Recipient	Havaldar Lalak Jan (1999, Kargil War)
Medal Design	Green ribbon with a bronze five-pointed star and a crescent, featuring a central medallion with the word “Haider” in Urdu
Named After	Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Caliph of Islam, known as Haider (Lion)
Presentation	Presented by the President of Pakistan
Related Awards	Other military awards include Hilal-e-Jurat, Sitara-e-Jurat, and Tamgha-e-Jurat
Significance of Name	The name “Haider” is associated with courage and valor, reflecting the heroic acts honored by this award

 

Nishan e Haider Holders Names

 

Recipient	Rank	Regiment	Conflict	Year of Award	Details
Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhatti	Captain	Punjab Regiment	Kashmir Operations	1948	Led an attack against heavily guarded enemy positions; killed while cutting through a wire fence.
Saif Ali Janjua	Naik	Azad Kashmir Regiment	1947 Indo-Pak War	N/A	Defended Budha Khana against machine guns; awarded Hilal-e-Kashmir, later deemed similar to Nishan-e-Haider.
Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed	Major	Pakistan Army	1965 Indo-Pakistani War	1965	Volunteered to treat wounded soldiers; continued despite being seriously injured until he died.
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed	Major	Punjab Regiment	1965 Indo-Pakistani War	1965	Led his company against a larger Indian force; refused evacuation despite injuries.
Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed	Major	Azad Kashmir Regiment	1971 Indo-Pakistani War	1971	Served as company commander in Chhamb sector; awarded for bravery.
Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed	Captain	Northern Light Infantry	1999 Kargil War	1999	Company commander in Kargil sector; awarded for bravery.
Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed	Havaldar	Northern Light Infantry	1999 Kargil War	1999	Machine gunner in Kargil sector; awarded for bravery.
Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed	Major	Frontier Force Regiment	1971 Indo-Pakistani War	1971	Company commander in Chhamb sector; awarded for bravery.
Sepoy Muhammad Hussain Shaheed	Sepoy	Azad Kashmir Regiment	1971 Indo-Pakistani War	1971	Machine gunner in Chhamb sector; awarded for bravery.
Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed	Lance Naik	Northern Light Infantry	1999 Kargil War	1999	Machine gunner in Kargil sector; awarded for braver

 

Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhatti

 

 

Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhati was born in the Gujar Khan Tehsil of Rawalpindi District. As the Company Commander of 2nd Squadron of the Punjab Regiment, Captain Sarwar carried out a strike against a heavily guarded enemy position in the Uri Sector during the Kashmir Operations shortly after the creation of Pakistan.

The attack resulted in significant casualties while coming under heavy machine gun, grenade, and mortar fires. On July 27, 1948, when he advanced with 6 of his troops to cut through a wire fence, he was killed when heavy fire from machine guns pierced his chest.

 

Naik Saif Ali Janjua

 

 

Saif Ali Janjua was a platoon leader of the Azad Kashmir Regiment during the 1947 Indo-Pak War. He was sent to defend Budha Khana, where he encountered massive machine guns.

Naik Saif Ali fiercely guarded his position and was struck by mortar shells, getting fatally injured. He was awarded Hilal-e Kashmir, later deemed to be similar to Nishan-e-Haider.

 

Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed

 

 

Major Tufail Muhammad was the first ‘official’ recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider. He was awarded the award posthumously for his bravery and sacrifice during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s medical corps and was serving in the Sialkot sector when the war broke out. Despite being unarmed and not trained in combat, he volunteered to treat the wounded soldiers on the front lines.

On 7 September, 1965, Major Tufail Muhammad was attending to the wounded soldiers when an artillery shell exploded near him. He was seriously injured in the explosion but he continued to treat the wounded until he collapsed and died. 

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed

 

 

Major Raja Aziz Bhatti was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Punjab Regiment and was serving as a company commander in the Burki sector.

On the night of 6 September, 1965, Major Bhatti’s company was attacked by a much larger Indian Army force. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Major Bhatti and his men fought bravely and held their ground.

He was seriously injured in the attack but he refused to be evacuated and continued to lead his men until he succumbed to his wounds. Due to this incomparable act of bravery, Major Aziz Bhatti was awarded Nishan-e-Haider.  

 

Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed

 

 

Major Muhammad Akram was also awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the 1971 war. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Azad Kashmir Regiment and was serving as a company commander in the Chhamb sector.

 

Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed

 

 

Captain Karnal Sher Khan was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Kargil War of 1999. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry and was serving as a company commander in the Kargil sector.

 

Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed

 

 

Havaldar Lalak Jan was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Kargil War of 1999. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry and was serving as a machine gunner in the Kargil sector.

 

Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed

 

 

Major Shabbir Sharif was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Hewas a member of the Pakistan Army’s Frontier Force Regiment and was serving as a company commander in the Chhamb sector.

 

Sepoy Muhammad Hussain Shaheed

 

 

Sepoy Muhammad Hussain was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Azad Kashmir Regiment and was serving as a machine gunner in the Chhamb sector.

 

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed

 

 

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Kargil War of 1999. He was a member of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry and was serving as a machine gunner in the Kargil sector.

The Nishan-e-Haider is the highest military award given by the Government of Pakistan to soldiers who have performed acts of gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy.

The soldiers who have been awarded the Nishan-e-Haider are considered national heroes, and their names will always be remembered in the annals of Pakistan’s history. 

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