Raja Muhammad Sarwar

Raja Muhammad Sarwar was a Pakistani military officer who was the first recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, Nishan-e-Haider, for his gallantry and actions of valor during the First Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–48. He joined the British Indian Army in 1929 as a sepoy and later received a commission in the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Punjab Regiment in 1943. He served in Burma during the Second World War and earned the Burma Star. After the partition of India in 1947, he opted to join the Pakistan Army and volunteered to take part in the Kashmir Operations. He led his company in several battles against the Indian forces and captured strategic positions. On 27 July 1948, he was fatally wounded by heavy machine gun fire while cutting through a barbed wire barrier. He was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his bravery and sacrifice. He is regarded as a national hero and a role model for the Pakistani soldiers.