Pakistan Military Long Service Medals

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

A 30 year Military Service Medal has just arrived to join the 10 and 20 year medals in my collection. I had bid on and "won" a 30 year medal on eBay back in September 2007 and after a long wait the medal never arrived and the seller dropped out of e$cam so I was out the cash and the gong.

A dealer from Islamabad who had sold me the 10 and 20 year medal was offering a 30 year medal for sale. It arrived two days ago (Thursday) and I am very happy to be adding it to my collection.

Next, the 40 year medal.

I hope you like it. The obverse views of the medals are, from left to right, the 10, 20 and 30 year medal. These were implemented in 1992 and were issued unnamed.

Cheers

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

This is the reverse view. Again from left to right the 10, 20 and 30 year medal.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers

Brian

[Ed_Haynes]

A nice set, Brian. The high-end one is hard to find.

[Laurence Strong]

Very nice

[Paul R]

Very attractive medals!! What does the 40 year medal look like? Is there a 50 year medal?

[Brian Wolfe]

Very attractive medals!! What does the 40 year medal look like? Is there a 50 year medal?

I've never seen the 40 year but I know it exists, if any member has one I'd sure like to see it.

To my knowledge there is no 50 year medal.

Cheers

Brian

[Ed_Haynes]

There is a 40 year medal, but pretty elaborate in design and quite rare (as you might expect). Nothing longer, obviously.

Edited January 20, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[vernon_kell]

Great pictures - I have all these in my own collection of Pakistani medals but I have never see a 40 year medal offered for sale.

I have just bought a Tamgha-i-Khidmat Class III (with the white enamel centre) from ebay at the princley sum of £15. Looking forward to recieving it.

Steve R

[Brian Wolfe]

Great pictures - I have all these in my own collection of Pakistani medals but I have never see a 40 year medal offered for sale.

I have just bought a Tamgha-i-Khidmat Class III (with the white enamel centre) from ebay at the princley sum of £15. Looking forward to recieving it.

Steve R

Hello Steve,

When the Tamgha-i-Khidmat arrives please be sure to post it. I am surprised that it went for £15, I think that is a pretty good buy. Well done.

Regards

Brian

[vernon_kell]

Hi Brian and all,

My Tamgha-i-Khidmat III has arrived here is a quick pic - I will take a comparison pic with my 1st version Tamgha-i-Khidmat III later.

Medal was in a London jewellers case but Im not sure if this is original I thought these awards were made in Pakistan - Can anyone enlighten me..?

[Paul R]

That is a beautiful medal. What was it awarded for? Merit/Valor/Long Service?

[Brian Wolfe]

The Tamgha-i-Khidmat, Classes I, II and III are awarded only to Junior Commissioned Officers, for rendering long, meritirious or (note "or") distinguished service of a non-operational nature. [Medals Catalogue of Pakistan, Yahya Qureshi and Rafiq Kasbati, page 31]

Regards

Brian

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

There is presumably also a medal for 35 years of service, with the ribbon like this:

I have never seen the medal itself, only the ribbon. Would love to see the medal, too.

[Laurence Strong]

The "Medals Catalouge of Pakistan" written by Yahya Qureshi and Rafiq Kasbati does not list a 35 year medal. Their 1st edition was printed in 2009, so it should be current. According to Ed Haines over on SAGongs he mentions that Musharraf has a 40 year medal, that also is not listed in the catalouge,but would make sense as they go in 10 year increments.

http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=1884&st=0&p=10848&hl=tamgha-i-khidmat&fromsearch=1&#entry10848

Edited April 3, 2012 by Laurence Strong

[Laurence Strong]

Here is my first edition Tamgha-i-Khidmat Class III. Bought it on Ebay being sold as costum jewlery. The ribbon arrived this afternoon

later

Larry

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

The "Medals Catalouge of Pakistan" written by Yahya Qureshi and Rafiq Kasbati does not list a 35 year medal. Their 1st edition was printed in 2009, so it should be current. According to Ed Haines over on SAGongs he mentions that Musharraf has a 40 year medal, that also is not listed in the catalouge,but would make sense as they go in 10 year increments.

I know this catalogue. It is very good but still incomplete. Here is a photo of Pervez Musharraf, taken about 2008. The ribbons of his LSMs are clearly seen on his uniform, starting from the 2nd place in the 3rd row (10 years), through 20, 30, 35 and 40 (2nd in the 4th row). The ribbon for 35 years is 1st in the 4th row. As it is placed between the ribbons for 30 and 40 years, it is unlikely to be anything else. The medal is quite recent, established, I think, ca. 2008.

A peculiarity of Pakistani LSMs is that unlike in most other countries, they are worn in reverse order, starting from the lowest (10 years). I think it follows the rule regarding campaign medals, where a later awarded medal is worn after one awarded earlier.

[Laurence Strong]

You could be right, If thats the case it was issued after the 40 years was issued

[Laurence Strong]

Apparantly I was wrong

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas/asia/pakistan2.gif

[Laurence Strong]

Tamgha-i-Khidmat Class II, just came in. I got a nice score on this one Now for the Class I

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Larry,

Congratulations on yet another great find.

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

 

It is not often that I get the chance to add a new specimen to the Pakistan collection, as is evidenced by the last post dated June 16, 2012 as seen above.  I am lucky to have a source in Pakistan and he has found me a 35 year military service medal which arrived yesterday.  These are hard to find as can be imagined with only one higher, the 40 year service medal.  From what my source has told me there have only been 8 of the 40 year service medals awarded to date and only one of those found its way to market.  He missed the chance to own the  40 and I am sure I will be many years older before another is offered for sale.

The date the 35 year medal was instituted is not know at this time but we know it would have to be post 1992 (the year the 30 year medal was instituted.

I hope you like my newest addition.

Regards

Brian

 

[Hashim.A.Khan]

Hey Brian, really impressed over the collection you have, I do have have 10, 20 and 30 years medals since my grand dad was in the army. I was able to find a picture of the 40 years service medal, pretty sure this is the rarest medal to find

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Hashim,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for the complement  I agree the 40 year service medal is the rarest and I doubt I will ever see one in my collection. This is the first photo I have seen of the "40" and it is rather impressive, thank you for adding valuable information to this post, it is greatly appreciated.

You must be very proud of your grand dad and anyone who has studied the military history of Pakistan knows just how rigorous and dangerous military service can be.  Pakistan has also contributed a great deal outside of their own country in the promotion of world peace, through the United Nations and their relationship with NATO.

Regards

Brian

 

[Hashim.A.Khan]

Seem like you have a large collection of Pakistani medals, is it alright of me to ask you to publish pictures of your collection? 

 

Regards

Hashim 

[Brian Wolfe]

I will be glad to do so, possibly later this year when we get frozen indoors by our Canadian winter.

Regards

Brian