The Pakistani continuation of the general service medal tradition came in 1957 (after attaining status as a republic) when the Tamgha-i-Diffa (Medal of Service) was established by notification No.F.40(3)/Pres./57 of 16 March 1957, by the President of Pakistan. As with India, there had been pre-republic discussion of the medal, and a draft warrant and design -- with the cipher of Queen Elizabeth II! -- had been drawn up but was never instituted.
Obverse: A 36-mm circular copper-nickel medal. Star and crescent in the center, surrounded by a wreath. Above, the inscription in Urdu “Khidmat-i-Pakistan” or “The Service of Pakistan.” Suspended from an ornate straight-bar swiveling suspender and a clasp with the campaign relevant to the award; bars both in English and bilingual bars in Urdu/Bengali have been seen. The medal is rarely seen named. The medal has also been seen and reported in gilt, but this seems to be a totally unofficial modification. The ribbon is 33 mm, green, with central stripes of dark blue, red, light blue, edged with thinner white stripes. Green 7 mm, white 2 mm, dark blue 5 mm, red 5 mm, light blue 5 mm, white 2 mm, green 7 mm.
Reverse: Plain, open circle in the center. (Unillustrated.)
Clasps:
1- Kashmir-1948 – monolingual in English – For the October 1947-1 January 1949 first Indo-Pakistani war over Kashmir.
2- Dir-Bajaur 1960-62 - monolingual in English – For the suppression of "tribal" rebellions in the North-West Frontier Province
3- Kashmir 1964-65 - bilingual in Urdu and Bengali - For border clashes in Kashmir preliminary to the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.
4- Kutch 1965 – bilingual in Urdu and Bengali – For border clashes in the Rann of Kutch preliminary to the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.
The medal now seems to have fallen into disuse.
Ed Haynes
Obverse: A 36-mm circular copper-nickel medal. Star and crescent in the center, surrounded by a wreath. Above, the inscription in Urdu “Khidmat-i-Pakistan” or “The Service of Pakistan.” Suspended from an ornate straight-bar swiveling suspender and a clasp with the campaign relevant to the award; bars both in English and bilingual bars in Urdu/Bengali have been seen. The medal is rarely seen named. The medal has also been seen and reported in gilt, but this seems to be a totally unofficial modification. The ribbon is 33 mm, green, with central stripes of dark blue, red, light blue, edged with thinner white stripes. Green 7 mm, white 2 mm, dark blue 5 mm, red 5 mm, light blue 5 mm, white 2 mm, green 7 mm.
Reverse: Plain, open circle in the center. (Unillustrated.)
Clasps:
1- Kashmir-1948 – monolingual in English – For the October 1947-1 January 1949 first Indo-Pakistani war over Kashmir.
2- Dir-Bajaur 1960-62 - monolingual in English – For the suppression of "tribal" rebellions in the North-West Frontier Province
3- Kashmir 1964-65 - bilingual in Urdu and Bengali - For border clashes in Kashmir preliminary to the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.
4- Kutch 1965 – bilingual in Urdu and Bengali – For border clashes in the Rann of Kutch preliminary to the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.
The medal now seems to have fallen into disuse.
Ed Haynes
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