The Nishan-e-Pakistan (Urdu: نشانِ پاکستان, lit.' Grand Cross of the Order of Pakistan') is the second grade of the Order of Pakistan, the highest civilian award of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.[2] It is awarded to "those who have rendered services of highest distinction" to the national interest of Pakistan. Nishan is awarded to government officials and civilians, including citizens of Pakistan and foreign nationals. In the Pakistan honours system, Nishan-e-Pakistan is equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider, the highest military gallantry award.[1] Established on 19 March 1975 under the Decorations Act, 1975,[3] the award is not correlated to the rank or status of a person.[1]

Nishan-e-Pakistan

نشانِ پاکستان
Awarded by

Government of Pakistan
TypeNational Civilian
Established19 March 1957
CountryPakistan Pakistan
EligibilityHeads of State
Criteria"rendered services of highest distinction" to the national interest of Pakistan.[1]
GradesGrand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Member
Post-nominalsN.Pk
Statistics
First induction1959
Last induction2023
Precedence
Next (higher)Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Pakistan
Next (lower)Grand Officer of the Order of Pakistan

Service Ribbon of the
Nishan-e-Pakistan


This award, including other civilian awards, is announced on Independence Day (14 August) each year and its investiture takes place on the following Pakistan Resolution Day (23 March) by the president of Pakistan[4] and, while it is the highest civilian award, it can also be awarded posthumously.[5] Recipients are entitled to the post-nominal NPk.

Grades edit

Insignia edit

  • Collar (Nishan)
  • Sash (Nishan)
  • Star (Nishan and Hilal)
  • Badge (Nishan, Hilal, Sitara and Tamgha)
  • Necklet/Bow (Hilal and Sitara)
  • Medal (Nishan, Hilal, Sitara and Tamgha)

Nishan-e-Pakistan Gallery edit

Grand Crosses of the Order edit

Year Image Name Field Country
1958   Haile Selassie I[7] Emperor of Ethiopia Ethiopia
1960   Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
9 November 1959   Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi Shah of Iran Imperial State of Iran
1960   Queen Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
13 January 1961   Josip Broz Tito President of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia
1962   Bhumibol Adulyadej King of Thailand Thailand
7 December 1957   Dwight D. Eisenhower President of the United States United States
1 August 1969   Richard Nixon[8] President of the United States United States
1982   Suharto[9] President of Indonesia Indonesia
1983   King Birendra King of Nepal Nepal
23 March 1983   Aga Khan IV[10] Leader of Ismaili Muslims United Kingdom
1987   Neerja Bhanot Head purser India
19 May 1990   Morarji Desai[11] Prime Minister of India India
18 September 1992   Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Brunei
3 October 1992   Nelson Mandela[12] President of South Africa South Africa
30 August 1995 Sadžida Silajdžić Ambassador of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina
March 8, 1997   Fidel Ramos President of the Philippines Philippines
10 April 1999   Li Peng Premier of the People's Republic of China China
6 April 1999   Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani[13] Emir of Qatar Qatar
21 April 2001   Qaboos bin Said[14] Sultan of Oman Oman
1 February 2006   King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud[15] King of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
24 November 2006   Hu Jintao[16] General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
President of the People's Republic of China
China
26 October 2009   Recep Tayyip Erdoğan[17][18] Prime Minister of Turkey Turkey
2009   Emperor Akihito[13] Emperor of Japan Japan
31 March 2010   Abdullah Gul[19][20] President of Turkey Turkey
22 May 2013   Li Keqiang[21] Premier of the People's Republic of China China
21 April 2015   Xi Jinping[22] General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
President of the People's Republic of China
China
23 May 2018   Fidel Castro[23] former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
former President of the Council of State of Cuba
Cuba
19 November 2018   Haris Silajdžić Bosniak Member of the Presidency of Bosna and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 February 2019 Mohammad bin Salman[24][25] Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
22 March 2019   Mahathir Mohamad[26] Prime Minister of Malaysia Malaysia
26 May 2019   Wang Qishan[27] Vice President of the People's Republic of China China
23 June 2019   Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani[28] Emir of Qatar Qatar
23 March 2020   Daren Sammy[29] West Indies cricketer Saint Lucia
14 August 2020   Syed Ali Shah Geelani[30] Hurriyat Leader India
5 November 2020   Šefik Džaferović[31] Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina
5 December 2023
 
His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin[6] Leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Community India

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Honour & Awards Policy" (PDF). cabinet.gov.pk. Cabinet Division. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Pakistan confers highest civilian award Nishan-e-Pakistan on Saudi Crown Prince". The Hindu. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  3. ^ "The Decorations Act, 1975" (PDF). na.gov.pk. National Assembly of Pakistan. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Conferment of Civil Awards 2020" (PDF). cabinet.gov.pk. Cabinet of Pakistan. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Pakistan is honouring late Cuban leader Fidel Castro with Nishan-e-Pakistan today – here's why". Latest News India. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b Web Desk (5 December 2023). "Bohra community leader conferred with Nishan-e-Pakistan". Aaj English TV. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  7. ^ ከበደ, በሪሁን (21 September 1993). የአፄ ኃይለሥላሴ ታሪክ. Addis Ababa: አርቲስቲክ ማተሚያ ቤት. p. 1077.
  8. ^ Richard Nixon (1 August 1969). "Remarks on Accepting the Nishan-e-Pakistan". Retrieved 28 May 2016 – via The American Presidency Project, U.C. Santa Barbara.
  9. ^ "Soeharto ODM". Gentleman's Military Interest Club. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Mowlana Hazar Imam Receives Pakistan Award". Heritage Society. 23 March 1983. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. ^ Shyam Bhatia (11 July 2001). "When India and Pakistan almost made peace". Rediff. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  12. ^ "Mandela in Pakistan". The Independent. UK. 3 October 1992. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Chinese President 'Xi Jinping' awarded with Nishan-e-Pakistan". The News Teller. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Mamnoon confers top civil award on President Xi". DAWN.COM. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  15. ^ "King Abdullah ends Asian tour with state visit to Pakistan". Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, D.C. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008.
  16. ^ Subramanian, Nirupama (25 November 2006). "Hu Jintao awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan". The Hindu (newspaper). Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  17. ^ "Pakistan, Turkey can together bring peace to region: Erdogan". Associated Press of Pakistan. 26 October 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012.
  18. ^ "Erdogan conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan". The Nation. APP. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Nawaz thanks Gul for supporting Pakistan in hard times". The News International. 2 April 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  20. ^ "Turkish President arrives on four-day visit". Dunya News. 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Chinese PM awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan on arrival in Islamabad". The Express Tribune. AFP and Reuters. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  22. ^ "Nishan-e-Pakistan award conferred on Xi Jinping". The Hindu. PTI. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Pakistan is honouring late Cuban leader Fidel Castro with Nishan-e-Pakistan today – here's why". Times Now. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  24. ^ "President Alvi confers Nishan-e-Pakistan on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman". The Express Tribune. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  25. ^ PTI (18 February 2019). "Pakistan confers highest civilian award Nishan-e-Pakistan on Saudi Crown Prince". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Pakistan to confer highest civilian award on Dr M". Malay Mail. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  27. ^ "Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan bestowed with Nishan-e-Pakistan by President Arif Alvi". The News International. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  28. ^ "Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan bestowed with Nishan-e-Pakistan by President Arif Alvi". The News International. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Darren Sammy to become honorary citizen of Pakistan". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  30. ^ Bhat, Tariq (14 August 2020). "Pakistan confers highest civilian award on Syed Ali Shah Geelani". The Week. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  31. ^ @PresOfPakistan (5 November 2020). "President Dr. Arif Alvi conferring the award of Nishan-e-Pakistan on Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sefik Dzaferovic, at Aiwan-e-Sadr" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

External links edit