Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces

The awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces recognize a service member's service and personal accomplishments while a member of the Pakistan armed forces. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a service member's career. A few of these medals and awards are also given to or have in the past been given to Pakistani civil service officers or civilians with special government permission.^[1]

Flag of the Pakistan Armed Forces

Decorations[]

Operational Medals[]

	Nishan-e-Haider (Order of Haider) The Nishan-e-Haider (Urdu: نشان حیدر meaning "Order of the Lion") is the highest military award given by Pakistan. Awarded "to those who have performed acts of greatest heroism or most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger and have shown bravery of the highest order or devotion to the country, in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air ..."^[2] The Nishan-e-Haider is the Pakistani equivalent of the Victoria Cross - which was formerly conferred prior to 1947 British Indian Army servicemen. Recipients Nishan-e-Haider recipients receive an honorary title as a sign of respect: Shaheed meaning martyr for deceased recipients and Ghazi meaning victor for living recipients. As of Sept 19, 2013, all Nishan-e-Haider awards have thus far been given to the people engaged in battles with India. 01. Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed (1910–July 27, 1948) 02. Naik Saif Ali Janjua (1922–October 26, 1948) 03. Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed (1914–August 7, 1958) 04. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (1938–September 10, 1965) 05. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed (Air Force) (1951–August 20, 1971) 06. Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed (1938–December 5, 1971) 07. Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed (1943–December 6, 1971) 08. Sawar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed (1949–December 10, 1971) 09. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed (1944–December 17, 1971) 10. Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed (1970–July 5, 1999) 11. Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed (1967–July 7, 1999)
	Hilal-i-Jurat (Crescent of Courage)
	Sitara-i-Jurat (Star of Courage)
	Tamgha-i-Jurat (Medal of Courage)
	Imtiazi Sanad (Mentioned in Despatches)^[3]

Campaign / War Medals[]

	(General Service Medal)
	Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War (War Star 1965)
	Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War (War Star 1971)
	Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)
	Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War (War Medal 1971)

Non-Operational Gallantry Awards[]

	Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct)
	Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Good Conduct)
	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Order of Excellence)
	Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) (Crescent of Excellence)
	Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) (Star of Excellence)
	Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Medal of Excellence)
	Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class-I) (Medal of Service Class I)
	Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class-II) (Medal of Service Class II)
	Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class-III) (Medal of Service Class III)

Service Medals[]

Commemorative Medals[]

	Pakistan Tamgha (Pakistan Medal)
	(100th Birth Anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
	(Republic Commemoration Medal)
	(Hijri Medal)
	(Democracy Medal)
	(Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal)^[4]
	(Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal)
	Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal)

References[]

^ The Government of Pakistan, Cabinet Division Gazette, 1988 November, Sec C-109, pp11-12
^ "PAF Combat website on military awards". Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
^ "Honours and Awards". Pakistan Army. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
^ This special commemorative medal of the Pakistan Resolution, 1940-1990, was also given in a limited edition to some civil service officers and also relations/descendants of those Muslim League leaders who actually signed the Pakistan Resolution in 1940. Ref A.Z. Shaikh, A Booklet on Some Commemorative Awards of the Government of Pakistan, 1947-1997 Islamabad: National Archives of Pakistan pubs, 1997, p 9

External links[]

[1] The Government of Pakistan, Cabinet Division Gazette, 1988 November, Sec C-109, pp11-12

[2] "PAF Combat website on military awards". Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. Retrieved 2007-01-22.

[honours-3] "Honours and Awards". Pakistan Army. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-06-06.

[4] This special commemorative medal of the Pakistan Resolution, 1940-1990, was also given in a limited edition to some civil service officers and also relations/descendants of those Muslim League leaders who actually signed the Pakistan Resolution in 1940. Ref A.Z. Shaikh, A Booklet on Some Commemorative Awards of the Government of Pakistan, 1947-1997 Islamabad: National Archives of Pakistan pubs, 1997, p 9

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v t Pakistan honours and military decorations
Gallantry awards	Nishan-i-Haider Medal (Sign of the Lion; 1st highest award) Hilal-i-Jur'at Medal (Crescent of Courage; 2nd highest award) Sitara-i-Jur'at Medal (Star of Courage; 3rd highest award) Tamgha-i-Jur'at (Medal of Courage; 4th highest award) Imtiazi Sanad Medal (Mention in Despatches; 5th highest award)
Non-operational awards (outwith enemy engagement)	Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct) Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Good Conduct) Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class I) (Medal of Service; military) Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class II) (Medal of Service; military) Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Class III) (Medal of Service; military)
Civilian military awards	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence; civilian) Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence; civilian) Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence; civilian) Tamgha-i-Khidmat (Medal of Service; civilian)