Pakistan Medals

[Ed_Haynes]

Pakistan Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal

Issued to comemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Pakistani independence, 14 August 1947. Awarded to those serving on 14 August 1997.

[Ed_Haynes]

Istar-i-Herb 1385 / War Star 1385 [A.H. = 1965 C.E.]

Awarded for Combat Service in the 1965 Pak-Indian War.

This war began as a series of border flare-ups along undemarcated territory at the Rann of Kutch in the southeast in April and soon after along the cease-fire line in Kashmir. The Rann of Kutch conflict was resolved by mutual consent and British sponsorship and arbitration, but the Kashmir conflict proved more dangerous and widespread. In the early spring of 1965, UN observers and India reported increased activity by infiltrators from Pakistan into Indian-held Kashmir. Pakistan hoped to support an uprising by Kashmiris against India. No such uprising took place, and by August India had retaken Pakistani-held positions in the north while Pakistan attacked in the Chamb sector in southwestern Kashmir in September. Each country had limited objectives, and neither was economically capable of sustaining a long war because military supplies were cut to both countries by the United States and Britain. On 23 September, a cease-fire was arranged through the UN Security Council.

Obverse: A bronze seven-pointed rayed star, point down, 35-mm. In the center, the Shahadat (?There is no God but God and Muhammad is His Messenger?), surrounded by the name of the medal on a circular band, ?Istar-i-Herb? in Urdu and Bengali, or ?War Star 1385. The medal is suspended from an ornate straight-bar non-swiveling suspender.

Reverse: Plain, a central circle, within which the medal is sometimes named (although it is often encountered unnamed).

Ribbon: 33 mm, black, with a central 5 mm red stripe. Black 14 mm, red 5 mm, black 14 mm.

[Ed_Haynes]

1385 Tamgha-i-Jang / 1385 [A.H. = 1965 C.E.] War Medal

Awarded for general service in the 1965 Pak-Indian War.

Obverse: 37 mm, circular, copper-nickel. In the center, the star and crescent, above the insignia of the Pakistani army, to the left that of the Pakistani navy, and to the right the crest of the air force. The medal is suspended from a plain non-swiveling straight-bar suspender. The medal is usually unnamed.

Reverse: In the center, the date ?1385? (A.H. = 1965 C.E.) in Urdu and Bengali. Above, the curved Urdu inscription ?Tamgha-i-Jang?, or ?War Medal? and, below, the same in Bengali, separated by wreaths of each side.

Ribbon: 31 mm, green, with edge stripes (reading inwards) of light blue, dark blue, red. Light blue 3 mm, dark blue 3 mm, red 3 mm, green 13 mm, red 3 mm, dark blue 3 mm, light blue 3 mm.

[Ed_Haynes]

Istar-i-Herb 1391 / War Star 1391 (A.H. = 1971 C.E.)

Awarded for combat service in the 1971 Pak-Indian War.

Obverse: A bronze seven-pointed star, point up. In the center, ?Allah-u-Akbak? or ?God is Great?. Around this, ?Star-i-Herb / 1391 Hijri? or ?War Star / 1391 A.H. [= 1971 C.E.]?. Suspended by an ornate straight bar.

Reverse: Plain, a central circle, within which the medal is sometimes named (although it is often encountered unnamed).

[Ed_Haynes]

1971 Tamgha-i-Jang / 1971 War Medal

Awarded for general service in the 1971 Pak-Indian War.

[Ed_Haynes]

Tamgah-i-Sad Saala Jashan-i-Wiladat Quaid-i-Azam / Centenial Medal of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Awarded to commemorate the birth centenary of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder and first Prime Minister of Pakistan, on 25 December 1976.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hijri Medal 1401

Issued to commemorate the completion of the fourteenth century of the Hijri era (1401 A.H.) on 22 November 1979.

[Ed_Haynes]

Twenty-Year Service Medal

[Ed_Haynes]

Ten-Year Service Medal

[Ed_Haynes]

Enough????

[Riley1965]

Ed,

There's never enough!! I have a few of those in my display. I hope to add more. Do you think that my apartment manager would mind me adding a doorway into the vacant apartment next to mine? I need more wall space. I have too many medals in notebooks!!!

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed,

There's never enough!! I have a few of those in my display. I hope to add more. Do you think that my apartment manager would mind me adding a doorway into the vacant apartment next to mine? I need more wall space. I have too many medals in notebooks!!!

Doc

Wish I could have mine home all the time. The live off-site, except when visiting on "home leave".

A few Pakistani groups, maybe?

As with most medals from elsewhere that India in South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc.), most Pakistani medals are unnamed. Not only does this reduce their interest and research value, but it has also led to a mammoth problem industry in the faking of groups. This is made easier by virtue of the fact that WWII medals are not officially named for soldiers who went to Pakistan.

I would estimate -- conservatively -- that 80% of the Pakistani "groups" appearing on the market are fraudulent. I'll post a few that I am reasonably comfortable with.

383012 Recruit Abdul Ghafur, 16th Punjab Regiment

1- The General Service Medal, 1947 - KASHMIR 1948

2- The Pakistan Independence Medal, 1947 - 383012 RECT ABDUL GHAFUR 16. PB R (as is unfortunately usual, the Independence Medal is the sole named medal in the group)

3- The Pakistan Republic Commemorative Medal

4- United Arab Emirates, 1976 Armed Forces Amalgamation Medal

5- Abu Dhabi, Defence Forces Service Medal

An interesting group, in that it demonstrates service -- as something more than a recruit, to be sure -- on loan to the Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, ca. 1976. A nice, unusual, if somewhat tattered group. Were it not so tattered, however, I might doubt its authenticity!

[Ed_Haynes]

O. NO. 630129 COOK U. BAKSH

1- General Service Medal: Kacch 1965

2- War Star 1965

3- War Star 1971

4- Campaign Medal 1965

5- Campaign Medal 1971

6- Quaid-i-Azam Centennial

7- 1400 Hijra Medal

8- Oman, Peace Medal

Only the Istar-i-Herb 1385 / War Star 1385 [A.H. = 1965 C.E.] is named, as shown above. Very ragged mount, a tattered tailor's lable on reverse, so probably halal.

Interesting for the Oman medal.

[Ed_Haynes]

799 FLT. CDT. SHAKIR HUSSAIN AIR H. QRS.

1- War Medal 1965

2- Independence Medal

3- Republic Medal

4- WWII War Medal

5- Indian Service Medal

Only the Indepndence Medal named, as shown above. Original ragged mount.

He almost surely made it well beyond Flight Cadet" in the years from 1947 to 1965 (at least). A research challenge.

[Ed_Haynes]

PAK/200043 AC2 MOHD SAFDAR. R.P.A.F.

1- General Service Medal: Kashmir 1948

2- Independence Medal

3- 1939-45 Star

4- WWII War Medal

5- Indian Service Medal

Only the Independence Medal is named, as shown above. He must have left by 1956, or there would have been a Republic Medal. Original ragged mounting.

[Riley1965]

Ed those are some nice groups, indeed. I only have singles. But I've saved a spot in the top row of my display for you know what!!

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

In the spirit of current events, I thought I'd bump this thread and direct your attention to: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6856&st=07

[Hugh]

Hi, Ed,

A few questions, please:

1) I assume you've listed these in the order of precedence?

2) I didn't see the Azad Kashmir medal. It's my impression that it's an unofficial commemorative medal; not authorized for wear on the uniform. Is this correct? Any more poop you can offer on this?

3) I didn't see the Democracy medal (Bilal Medal) or the 30 years service. Did you forget, or just get tired?

4) During the times I was travelling frequently in Pakistan, they referred to "Sitara-i-Harb" rather than Istar. Is this a change in usage?

5) Since I no longer go there, I'd love to get the Pakistan Independence Golden Jubilee. Any suggestions? I've lost touch with the dealers / military tailors I used to know. There was a particularly good one on the Mall just to the west of the Intercontinental / Pearl Continental, although he never did much with medals other than mounting them.

[Hugh]

As hard as it is to get reliable published information on Indian medals after 1947 (so far), it is 10 to 20 times more difficult when it comes to Pakistan!

Forgot to mention - I assume you have the Inter Services Public Relations booklet on uniform and dress, don't you? It's the only specific PAK source I have.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hi, Ed,

A few questions, please:

1) I assume you've listed these in the order of precedence?

Here, no. Here, yes, sort of. Due to some pretty shamelss information theft I haven't kept the website up to date, though.

2) I didn't see the Azad Kashmir medal. It's my impression that it's an unofficial commemorative medal; not authorized for wear on the uniform. Is this correct? Any more poop you can offer on this?

There is a whole range of "Azad Kashmir" medals, mirroring everything from the decorations on down. The fiction of the independence of Azad Kashmir (like, now, South Waziristan) and the security blanket thrown over that area makes it virtually impossible to get any reliable information. (Not that it is easy to get information on Pakistani medals anyway!)

3) I didn't see the Democracy medal (Bilal Medal) or the 30 years service. Did you forget, or just get tired?

Some haven't been put up due to (apparent) limited interest, some I was reluctant to post because all I had were tailors' copies (though I am increasingly convinced that real strikes may not exist). See http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/index.php?act=SC&c=5 for more (but you'd need to sign up and e-mail me so I can approve you in).

If there's any interest, I can put more us, in a more coherent fashion.

4) During the times I was travelling frequently in Pakistan, they referred to "Sitara-i-Harb" rather than Istar. Is this a change in usage?

The Urdu hasn't changed, the way "Star" would be rendered in Romanised Urdu has. Interestingly, the Roman-script usage has moved away from the straightforward English word (in Urdu) that is on the medal (Star). I use the way it would be pronounced, others use an Urduised concoction.

5) Since I no longer go there, I'd love to get the Pakistan Independence Golden Jubilee. Any suggestions? I've lost touch with the dealers / military tailors I used to know. There was a particularly good one on the Mall just to the west of the Intercontinental / Pearl Continental, although he never did much with medals other than mounting them.

Same here. Not back in a while. Kick myself for not getting more (especially ribbons) the last time there.

[Ed_Haynes]

Forgot to mention - I assume you have the Inter Services Public Relations booklet on uniform and dress, don't you? It's the only specific PAK source I have.

No, I don't have it. Beg, grovel, . . . .

Some day I ponder a book on Pakistani ODM, but the sources are SOOOOO thin, even in Islamabad.

[Megan]

A delightful thread...

Good to see the Tamgha-i-Jamhuria 1375 / Republic Medal, 1956... which has a lot to answer for! Picked one up for pocket money when I was about 13 but had no idea what it was. So I went round to the local museum to see if they had a medal expert who could tell me. They had no idea either, but reckoned that the date meant that it had 'something' to do with Pakistan becoming independent.

And that set me on the trail of finding out about medals. Along the way I found out what it was, and gave up collecting 'things' in favour of information... and in the course of time once the Internet was invented, started my medals site.

[ilja559]

The Hilal-e-Imtiaz medal awarded

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice old picture with Zia.

[Kurt21]

G.M. Chowdri and Sons is still there on the Mall Road. I go in there once or twice a month to say hi and have them mount the few PK medals I find.