Nishan-e-Haider

{{short description|Highest military award of Pakistan}}

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{{Infobox award

| name = Nishan-e-Haider
{{Nastaliq|نشان حیدر}}

| image = Nishan-i-Haider-PAK.jpg

| caption = Obverse of the Nishan-e-Haider

| presenter = Government of Pakistan

| country = Islamic Republic of Pakistan

| type = Medal

| eligibility = Military personnel only

| awarded_for = Acts of greatest heroism in circumstances of extreme danger in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air. {{cite web|url=https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|title=Honours and Awards|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504015214/https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=32&rnd=182|archive-date=4 May 2017|url-status=dead}}

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| status = Active

| description =

| motto =

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| post-nominals = NH

| established = 16 March 1957{{cite web|url=http://www.medals.org.uk/pakistan/pakistan001.htm|title=ODM of Pakistan: Order of the Lion}} (applied retrospectively from 1948 onwards)

| firstawarded = 16 March 1957 – Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Captain Muhammad Sarwar, Pakistan army

| lastawarded = 15 July 1999 – Kargil War, Havildar Lalak Jan, Pakistan army

| total_awarded = 11

| total_awarded_posthumously = 11

| total_recipients =

| precedence_label =

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| higher = None

| same = 110px

Hilal-e-Kashmir

| lower = 110px
Hilal-e-Jurat

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| website = {{URL|https://pakistanarmy.gov.pk/Honours-Awards.php|pakistanarmy.gov.pk}}|image2=

|awardname=Nishan-e-Haider}}

Nishan-e-Haider (NH; {{Langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|نشان حیدر}}|lit=Mark of the Lion}} or 'Emblem of the Lion') is the highest military gallantry award of Pakistan.{{cite web | title=First 'Nishan-e-Haider' recipient Sawar Shaheed remembered – Lahore | website=The News International | date=11 December 2017 | url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/254776-first-nishan-e-haider-recipient-sawar-shaheed-remembered | access-date=20 April 2020}}{{cite web | title=How an Indian officer helped an enemy captain win Pakistan's highest gallantry award | website=ThePrint | date=24 July 2019 | url=https://theprint.in/defence/how-an-indian-officer-helped-an-enemy-captain-win-pakistans-highest-gallantry-award/266973/ | access-date=20 April 2020}} The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded only to members of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy in air, land, or sea. It has been awarded only 11 times since Pakistan's independence in 1947.

Nishan-e-Haider literally means "Emblem of the Lion" in the Urdu language.{{cite web | title=Nishan e Haider: Detailed account of 10 heroes of Pakistan | website=Times of Islamabad | date=7 September 2018 | url=https://timesofislamabad.com/07-Sep-2018/nishan-e-haider-detailed-account-of-10-heroes-of-pakistan | access-date=20 April 2020}} The word "Haider" is also the epithet of Ali, who is referred to as the 'Lion of Allah', a valiant warrior and leader. Ali was the fourth Caliph of Islam and declared bravest person by Muhammad. He is known by his courage, bravery and power in Islam.{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ali-Muslim-caliph|title=ʿAlī {{!}} Muslim caliph|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2018-02-04|language=en}}