Pakistan Army

Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his heroic actions during the 1971 war in the Sulemanki sector. He is the only person to receive both the Nishan-e-Haider and the Sitara-e-Jurat (the latter for his bravery in the 1965 war), making him the most decorated soldier in Pakistan's history.

In the Pakistan Army, Subedar is a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) rank. JCOs fall between the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and the Commissioned Officers. The JCO ranks include Naib Subedar, Subedar, and Subedar Major. They play a vital role in bridge-building between the leadership and the soldiers.

Operation Rah-e-Rast (The Right Path) was launched in May 2009 to flush out militants from the Swat Valley and surrounding areas. The operation was highly successful and is often studied for its effective use of unconventional tactics and the successful rehabilitation and repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

General Ayub Khan is the only officer in the history of Pakistan to have been elevated to the five-star rank of Field Marshal. He promoted himself to this rank in 1959 while serving as the President of Pakistan. It remains the highest possible military rank, though it is currently considered dormant.

The Frontier Corps (FC) is a paramilitary force that operates primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Their main responsibilities include border security, counter-insurgency, and maintaining law and order in the western frontier regions. They are led by officers seconded from the Pakistan Army.

Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed, belonging to the Northern Light Infantry (NLI), was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the Kargil War in 1999. He defended a strategic post despite being severely injured and repulsed several enemy attacks before embracing martyrdom.

The rank of Flight Lieutenant in the Pakistan Air Force is equivalent to the rank of Captain in the Pakistan Army and Lieutenant in the Pakistan Navy. These are all junior officer ranks, typically achieved after a few years of commissioned service.

Operation Rah-e-Nijat (Path to Salvation) was a major offensive launched by the Pakistan Army in October 2009. It specifically targeted the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in their primary stronghold of South Waziristan, leading to the destruction of numerous militant training centers and headquarters.

Lieutenant General Nigar Johar became the first female three-star general in Pakistan's history in June 2020. She also served as the first female Surgeon General of the Pakistan Army. Her promotion was hailed as a major milestone for gender inclusion in the military's higher echelons.

The Nishan-e-Haider medal is traditionally forged from gunmetal captured from the enemy during combat. This symbolic choice signifies the victory and bravery of the recipient over the opposing forces. It is worn on a green ribbon with a small star and crescent.

The Corps of Engineers is responsible for providing engineering support to the army, including the construction of permanent and temporary bridges, roads, and fortifications. The Frontier Works Organization (FWO), which built the Karakoram Highway, is a significant part of this corps.

General Pervez Musharraf was the Chief of Army Staff during the 1999 Kargil Conflict. He later became the Chief Executive and President of Pakistan following a military coup in October 1999. His tenure as COAS lasted from 1998 to 2007.

The rank of Second Lieutenant is the entry-level commissioned rank in the Pakistan Army, usually granted upon graduation from the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA). However, in recent years, most cadets are commissioned directly as Lieutenants after completing their training, making Second Lieutenant a less common rank in active service.

The Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is typically a three-star Lieutenant General from the Pakistan Army. While the ISI serves all three branches of the military, it is traditionally led by an Army officer due to the Army's size and strategic role.

Sowar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery during the 1971 war in the Zafarwal-Shakargarh sector. As a driver in the Armored Corps, he went beyond his call of duty by delivering ammunition to front-line tanks under heavy fire and spotting enemy targets.

The motto of the Pakistan Army translates to 'Faith, Piety, and Struggle in the path of Allah.' This motto reflects the ideological and religious motivation of the force, emphasizing moral integrity and the concept of struggle for a just cause.

Havildar is a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) rank. NCOs are enlisted soldiers who have been promoted to leadership positions. Other NCO ranks include Naik and Lance Naik. They are responsible for the immediate supervision of soldiers at the squad and section levels.

Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider posthumously for his role in the Battle of Hilli during the 1971 war. He and his men successfully repulsed numerous attacks by an Indian brigade supported by tanks, holding their position for over two weeks.

The Army Aviation Corps is the air arm of the Pakistan Army. It operates a fleet of helicopters and light aircraft for transport, reconnaissance, and combat support. They played a crucial role in operations in the northern areas and in rescue missions like the Siachen Glacier.

Before the Simla Agreement of 1972, the boundary was known as the Ceasefire Line (CFL). Following the 1971 war, the two countries agreed to rename it the Line of Control (LoC) and committed to respecting it without prejudice to their respective positions on the Kashmir dispute.