Pakistan Independence Medal – Havildar Ghulam Haider, Pakistan Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Pakistan Independence Medal – 7009085 HAV GHULAM HAIDER P.E.M.E.
A highly appealing named example of the Pakistan Independence Medal, correctly impressed to 7009085 Havildar Ghulam Haider, Pakistan Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. This medal was instituted to mark the creation of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, awarded to all serving military personnel who formed the first generation of the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force. It remains one of the earliest decorations of the new state, symbolising the transition from the old British Indian Army to the newly sovereign Pakistan military establishment.
Struck in cupro-nickel, the medal bears the crescent and star on the obverse with the date of independence, while the reverse carries the elegant Urdu inscription commemorating the birth of Pakistan. It retains crisp detail, its original suspension, and the distinctive dark green ribbon with a narrow white central stripe representing the national colours. Named examples are significantly more desirable to collectors than unissued pieces, particularly when attributed to historically significant corps or units.
The Pakistan Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (E.M.E.), to which Havildar Ghulam Haider belonged, was one of the new technical branches formed at Partition, inheriting personnel, workshops, vehicles and equipment from the Indian Army’s electrical and mechanical trades. The corps was responsible for the maintenance and repair of armoured vehicles, artillery, transport, instruments and communications equipment—an essential role during the chaotic months following independence.
In 1947 E.M.E. units played a vital part in keeping the newly divided army functioning, supporting troop movements, maintaining refugee convoys, and stabilising border areas during the upheavals of Partition. As an experienced Havildar (Sergeant), Ghulam Haider would have held significant responsibility within his workshop or section, part of the skilled technical backbone upon which the early Pakistan Army relied.
A well-named and especially desirable example to one of Pakistan’s key technical corps, ideal for collectors of South Asian militaria, post-colonial awards, or early E.M.E. material.
AJMS Medals