Havaldaar Lalak Jan Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider (1967-1999) was born in Yasin, District Ghizer, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. After school he joined the Pakistan army and was promoted to the rank of Havaladaar. As a junior officer of the Northern Light Infantry, he fought against India in the Kargil War in 1999. He volunteered to be deployed on the front lines and drove back a number of attacks by the Indian army. On July 7, he sustained serious injuries as a result of heavy mortar shelling but managed to defend his position and frustrate the attack before dying at his post.

For his courage and devotion, he was awarded the Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan’s highest military award for braveryh. In the country's first half centuryo only 10 soldiers received this award and he was the first person from the Northern Areas to receive this award.

He was also the first Ismaili to receive Nishan-i-Haider. In the majority Sunni society, the Shia sect Ismailis are not considered part of the mainstream.

External links

• Nishan-E-Haider
• The Changing Northern Areas
• Pakistan's Northern Areas dilemma (BBC)
• Northern Areas Development Gateway
• Pakistan's Northern Areas
• Northern Pakistan's Karakoram & Hindukush Mountains
• The Mountain Areas Conservancy Project
• Gilgit Map