Pakistan marked its 79th Independence Day by honouring dozens of top military and civilian officials for their roles in the May conflict with India. As per Samaa, 155 Pakistani soldiers were killed during intense Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor. Defence sources caution that this figure is based on official Pakistani records and that the actual death toll could be significantly higher.
The awards were presented by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, recognising actions taken during the four-day escalation from May 7 to 10. The conflict began after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Key Awards and Recipients
- Army Chief General Asim Munir – Hilal-e-Jurat
- Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza – Nishan-e-Imtiaz
- Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu – Hilal-e-Jurat
- Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf – Nishan-e-Imtiaz
- Fighter Pilots of Pakistan Air Force – Sitara-e-Jurat for aerial combat roles
The ISI chief, Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik, and the Pakistan Army spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, received the Sitara-i-Basalat. Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed and Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz were similarly honoured for media briefings during the crisis.
Civilian Recognition
High-profile civilian awardees included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and members of the Prime Minister’s diplomatic mission, many of whom received the Hilal-e-Imtiaz for advancing Pakistan’s narrative abroad.
Scale of Awards
The Pakistan Army confirmed that 488 personnel from the Army, Air Force, and Navy were decorated. The honours included 8 Sitara-i-Jurat, 5 Tamgha-i-Jurat, 24 Sitara-i-Basalat, 45 Tamgha-i-Basalat, 146 Imtiazi Asnad, 259 COAS Commendation Cards, and 1 Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military)
This year’s ceremony was the first Independence Day since the deadly May 2025 conflict, which pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of full-scale war.
