WW2 8th Punjabi Regiment officers silver cap badge

Simply an outstanding example of a theatre made officers cap badge. On the back stamp;

The maker has stamped “SILVER” on the back along with a local language bazaar silversmith which I believe would also the same.  

 Given the 8th Punjab Regiment recruited heavily from Punjabi Muslims and the Indian Army’s administrative language in that region and era was Urdu written in the Perso-Arabic (Nastaliq) script, that’s my best single guess. 

Origins. The regiment’s first battalion was raised at Masulipatam in 1798, with four more battalions raised in 1799 to 1800.  These became numbered Madras Native Infantry regiments before later reorganisation into the Punjabi battalions that formed the 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922.

First World War. The regiment’s battalions served across France and Flanders, Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Aden, Salonika, and even Russia.  One of its constituent units, the 89th Punjabis, had the unique distinction of serving in more theatres of war than any other unit of the British Empire,  and Naik Shahmed Khan of the 89th Punjabis was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1916.

Interwar years. The regiment saw further action in the Third Afghan War of 1919 and the Iraqi Revolt of 1920.

Second World War. Battalions fought across Italy, Iran, Iraq, Burma, Malaya, French Indochina, and the Dutch East Indies.

Later service. The regiment also saw action in the Kashmir War of 1948,  by which point it had already transferred to the newly formed Pakistan Army following partition in 1947. It was eventually merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.