The 1971 Indo-Pak War saw the highest number of Nishan-e-Haider recipients. Five individuals were honored for their bravery during this conflict: Major Muhammad Akram, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, Major Shabbir Sharif, Sowar Muhammad Hussain, and Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz. This reflects the intense multi-front nature of the 1971 war and the significant sacrifices made across the Army and Air Force.

Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed displayed incredible grit during the Kargil War in May-July 1999. He volunteered to stay at a forward post in the Batalik sector despite constant enemy shelling. Although he was severely injured by a grenade, he refused to be evacuated and continued to fire at the enemy, repulsing several attacks before embracing martyrdom.

Naik Saif Ali Janjua was originally awarded the Hilal-e-Kashmir (the highest gallantry award of Azad Jammu and Kashmir) for his bravery during the 1948 war. In 1995, the Federal Government of Pakistan formally recognized his sacrifice and declared his award equivalent to the Nishan-e-Haider, making him the 11th recipient on the national roll of honor.

The Nishan-e-Haider is unique because it is forged from gunmetal captured from the enemy during combat. This symbolic use of captured metal signifies the recipient's triumph and bravery over the opposing forces. The medal features a green ribbon and is topped with the national emblem of the star and crescent.

A total of 11 individuals have been honored with the Nishan-e-Haider. These include nine from the Pakistan Army, one from the Air Force (Rashid Minhas), and one recipient from the Azad Kashmir Regiment (Naik Saif Ali Janjua, whose Hilal-e-Kashmir was declared equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider by the government). All 11 recipients received the award posthumously for embracing martyrdom.

Captain Karnal Sher Khan belonged to the 12th Battalion of the Northern Light Infantry (NLI). He was martyred on July 5, 1999, after launching several successful counter-attacks against Indian positions at an altitude of 17,000 feet at Tiger Hill. His name 'Karnal' was actually his first name, given by his grandfather who was inspired by the rank of Colonel.

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his exceptional courage in the 1971 war. While serving in the Wagah-Attari sector, his machine gun was destroyed by enemy fire and he was severely wounded. Despite his injuries, he crawled toward an enemy bunker that was inflicting heavy casualties on his unit and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, eventually being martyred in the process.

Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed was the hero of the Battle of Hilli in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He commanded a company that held a strategic position for over two weeks against an entire Indian brigade supported by a squadron of tanks and heavy artillery. His resistance was so fierce that the Indian Army had to bypass his position. He was martyred during the final phase of the defense.

Sowar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed was the first person from the Armored Corps to receive the Nishan-e-Haider. During the 1971 war in the Zafarwal-Shakargarh sector, he went beyond the call of duty by delivering ammunition to front-line tanks under intense fire. He also pinpointed enemy tank positions for his commanders, leading to the destruction of several enemy tanks before he was martyred by machine-gun fire.

Major Tufail Mohammad Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his heroism in August 1958 at Lakshmipur, East Pakistan. He led an operation to evict Indian troops who had crossed the border and occupied a Pakistani village. Despite being mortally wounded by grenades and fire, he continued to lead his men and engaged in hand-to-hand combat to ensure the mission's success.