Rajput Nishan-e-Haider Holders – Pakistan’s Highest Military Award for Bravery
Nishan-e-Haider (Urdu: نشان حیدر, translated as “Emblem of Haider, where Haider is the epithet of Ali and means Lion”), is the highest military award given by Pakistan. It was established in 1957. It is awarded to military personnel, regardless of rank, for extraordinary bravery in combat. The award is considered to be the highest military award and is only awarded to those who have sacrificed their life. Its exclusivity may be gauged by the fact that since it was established only 10 awards have been made and given. To date all awards have been made posthumously (after the death). Of the 10 recipients, 9 have been from the Pakistan Army and one has been from the Pakistan Air Force. Pakistan has fought battles in 1948, 1956, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Most of all the Shaheeds have been of Rajput (Rajpoot) or Pathan families. Here I will mention only Rajput Shaheeds who have been awarded with Nishan-e-Haider. Rajput is a caste.
Pilot Office Rashid Minhas Shaheed
Date of Shahadat: 20 August 1971
Age: 20 years
Born 17 February 1951, commissioned as a pilot in the Pakistan Air Force. Pilot Officer Minhas was taxiing for take-off on a routine traning 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 but was unable to do so. Knowing that it meant certin death, he damaged the controls and forced the aircraft to crash thirty two miles short of the border on 20 August 1971. He died at the age of 20.
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed
Date of Shahadat:10 september 1965
Age: 37 years
Born 1928 in Hong Kong. Commissioned into the Punjab Regiment, 1950. On 6 September 1965, as Company Commander in the Burki area of the Lahore sector, Major Bhatti chose to move with his forward platton under incessant artillery and tank attacks for five days and nights in the defence of the strategic BRB canal. Throughout, undaunted by constant fire from enemy shell 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 10 September 1965. He was 37 years old.
Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed
Date of Shahadat: 17 August 1958
Age: 44 years
Born 1914 in Hoshiarpur. Commissioned into the 16th Punjab Regiment, 1943. Early in August, 1958, Major Tufail, a Company Commander in the East Pakistan Rifles, and his patrol encircled an Indian post 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 7 August 1958 at the age of 44.
Jawan Sawar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed
Date of Shahadat: 10 sep 1971
Age: 22 years
Born 18th June 1949 in Dhok Pir Baksh (now Dhok Mohammad Husain Janjua). Enlisted as a driver on 3 September 1966. Although only a driver in the 20th Lancers, when war broke out in 1971, Sowar Mohammad Hussein 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 enemy tanks. But while directing fire from recoilless rifles, he was hit in the chest by a burst of machine-gun fire and died on 10 December 1971 at the age of 22.
Captain Muhammad Sarwer Shaheed
Date of Shahadat: 27 july 1948
Age: 38 years
Born 1910, Village Sanghori, Commissioned into the Punjab Regiment, 1944. During the Kashmir Operations soon after the birth of Pakistan, as Company Commander in 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 27 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 automatic fire. He was 38 years old.
Other Nishan-e-Haider holders are Major Mohammad Akram Shaheed, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfooz Shaheed, Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed, Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed and Havaldaar Lalak Jan Shaheed.
Nishan e Haider – Documentary – 1
Nishan e Haider – Documentary – 2
November 27th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
RAJPUTS are no doubt the bravest warriors of indian subcontinent but dont u people praise dem as rajputs.Rajputs belongs to hindus their origin was due to the fact that they were the sole fighters among hindus angainst foreign invadors. All those who got converted to islam under forceful policy of muslim rulers have no right to call dem as rajputs coz they have lost their right as RAJPUT WOH HAI JO KAT SAKTA HAI PER JHUK NAHI SAKTA.They are jst an ordinary muslim and nthng else.The above shown warriors faught bravely bt they were just pakistani soldiers and nt the rajputs.Any one who calls him as rajput and fight angainst hinduism must need to know abt wt a RAJPUT is?They are similar to pathans in islam.Calling urself as muslim Rajputs is the insult of great sacrifice of Rajputs for their country i.e india and also u people are misleading urself.So believe it CONVERTS ARE NOT RAJPUTS.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@KUNWAR SHARDOOL: I am sorry. I am not indicating here that they fought against India. I am just saying that these soldiers fought with bravery and they are Rajputs. Why not Muslim Rajputs can’t say them Rajputs. Of course ancestors of Rajputs were all Hindus almost. But converts have also right to call themselves Rajput proudly.
December 12th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
What are u trying to say? Is Rajput a caste or other name for Hindus.
Please Wake up and come into reality, human races did not originate from mythythical stories.
Read some Athropology books.
Islam does not change ones lineage its written on our DNA it only changes the ideology.
Yes Rajputs were great warriors but dont forget the other qualities and thats why they got converted to Islam as Rajputs wont take anything under pressure they would rather give away their lives. Think about it.
December 20th, 2009 at 4:17 am
Did i narrate a story here??
DNA lol r u kidding me boy?? wt kind of DNA u r talking abt the one which has forgotten wt Rajputs are and wt they have done in past..or the one which is constantly humiliated by the islamic rulers and has converted into islamic fanatic.
is dere ney sense u ppl still want to attach urself with the
pride of Rajputs..who were known as the saviours of hindus, wt kind of crzy u r????
ISLAM do nt support ney caste and as far as RAJPUTS are considered its a Hindu kshatriya caste..dont confuse urself like ur forefaters did..u must be proud of mohammed gaznavi,gauhri,and aurangzeb..bt a True rajput will feel proud of Bappa rawal,Maharana Pratap,Prithviraj Chauhan.
I objected for Rajput word in the topic i have nthng to do with pakistan and its army..though i appreciate the bravery..in any form.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:03 pm
RAJPUT IS GREAT POWER……
January 4th, 2010 at 4:26 am
Dear, KUNWAR SHARDOOL VIKRAM, you dont agree with the facts of real life so be it, keep your self in ignorance good for you.
Here is little refresher if you doesnt want to go to the textbooks.
Jawaharlal Nehru narrated (ref. provided)
“I grew to know; the Rajput peasant and petty landholder, still proud of his race and ancestry, even though he might have changed his faith and adopted Islam.” More importantly he bears testament to the fact that despite his change of faith, a Rajput is still a Rajput.
The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru, Oxford Uni. Press 1985, p62, p341
also see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Rajputs
January 29th, 2010 at 9:53 am
RAJPUTS WHERE EVER THEY ARE THEY PROTECT THERE LAND
February 24th, 2010 at 12:15 am
@ kunwar shardool………. u r forgetting here that Rajput is not just a ‘Caste’ it’s a “RACE”. and if u change your religion u can change your caste but u cant change your race……. its about your blood………. i believe that all those brave brothers of mine who might have changed their faith but if they have maintained their purity of blood then they should be considered 100% true blood “RAJPUTS”.
I feel proud u know that my brothers have achieved this medals more times than any other race.
March 20th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
i aGREE WITH U KRISHAN pRATAP SINGHJI.
TWO MORE RAJPUT NISHAN-E-HAIDER HOLDERS R NOT HERE AND KHUDAD KHAN MINHAS IS ALSO NOT HERE !!!!!
March 20th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
GO TO THIS WEB FOR TRUE INFO AND ALSO SEARCH ABOUT KHUDADA KHAN MINHAS