Pakistan Military Academy
Encyclopedia
The Pakistan Military Academy (also known as PMA or Kakul) is a four-year coeducational federal service military academy. It is located at Kakul
near Abbottabad
in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
.
The Pakistan Military Academy is similar in function to Sandhurst
, Saint-Cyr
, and West Point
, and provides training to the officers of Pakistan Army. The academy has three training battalions, and 12 companies. Another 2,000 guests each year, from over 34 countries, receive some training at PMA.
In 2011 Osama bin Laden
was killed in a compound in which he was hiding 750 yards (685 m) from the Academy.
Khawaja Nazimuddin
gave the Quaid-e-Azam banner to the Pakistan Military Academy on behalf of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The Quaid-e-Azam banner is held aloft by the champion company at every passing out parade. "Regimental colours presented in 1950 by Liaquat Ali Khan
, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan and the National Standard in 1961 by General Muhammad Musa, the then-Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, have been some of the honours showered on the Academy, which it has always jealously guarded and kept high in letter and spirit."
The 1965 war led to expansion of the academy, and the second battalion of the academy was created in December 1965. This battalion consisted of four companies, called Ghaznavi, Babur, Aurangzeb, and Tipu. In early 1989, the third battalion of the academy was founded. The third battalion's four companies are Haider, Ubaida, Saad, and Hamza.
The man described at the time in the press as the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden
, was killed in 2011 in a compound
in which he was hiding about 5 Kilometres from the Academy. This raised questions as to whether Pakistani military knew of bin Laden's location and if he was shielded.
From 1976 to 1989, a Junior Cadet Battalion (JCB) was established which took even younger men, groomed them for two years to the Military Culture and also imparted Higher Secondary Education.
The PMA Long Course is for cadets who join all arms and services after their commission. The Long Course is has a duration of two years, which is further divided into four terms of six months each. After the 2 year training period Cadets pass out as 2nd Lieutenants.
•
The PMA Graduate Course is taken by those cadets, who have already graduated. These cadets, like those of the Technical Graduate Course, undergo one year of military training. They pass out as 2nd Lieutenants. Graduate Course has been closed down because of the new policy.
The PMA Technical Graduate Course is for cadets, who have already done their degrees in the College of Aeronautical Engineering
, Military College of Signals
, College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
and Military College of Engineering
. They undergo a training period of one year and then pass out as Captains.
The PMA Integrated Course is for cadets of medical services, ICTO's, graduates of Army Medical College and Army Education Corps and for those who have done their masters in different fields. The IC has a duration of six months. Cadets pass out as Captains.
The PMA Lady Cadet's Course was first started in November 2006. The course is taken by masters and bachelors qualified ladies who are sound professionals in their fields. The lady cadets undergo a training period of six months and pass out as Captains in supporting arms of the Pakistan Army.
Swimming has been made compulsory for all cadets.
LCs are also required to pass physical efficiency tests like GCs, but the standards are bit less keeping in view to their physique. The basic requirement for all lady cadets is to run one mile (1.6 km) within ten minutes. Other tests includes push ups, sit ups, bar hanging, assault course and also undegoes an exercise Qiyadat with GCs.
They are entitled to do Horse Riding, Shooting, Swimming, and Fencing; depending on their will. LCs also compete for firing medal and PT medal.
Kakul
Kakul is a town situated in the Kakul Valley at an elevation of 1300 metres, 5 km northeast of Abbottabad city near the Thandiani Hills, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The population is around 30,000.-History:...
near Abbottabad
Abbottabad
Abbottabad is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, northeast of the capital Islamabad and east of Peshawar at an altitude of and is the capital of the Abbottabad District...
in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The Pakistan Military Academy is similar in function to Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, Saint-Cyr
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
, and West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, and provides training to the officers of Pakistan Army. The academy has three training battalions, and 12 companies. Another 2,000 guests each year, from over 34 countries, receive some training at PMA.
In 2011 Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
was killed in a compound in which he was hiding 750 yards (685 m) from the Academy.
History
Pakistan Military Academy was founded by col francis h. b. engle & established in October 1947, after the independence of Pakistan from the British Empire. On January 25, 1948, "The First Pakistan Battalion” was instituted. This battalion has four companies which were "named after the luminaries of Muslim military history" (e.g., Khalid, Tariq, Qasim, and Salahuddin). In March 1948, the First Battalion "was bestowed with Quaid-e-Azam’s patronage as Colonel-in-Chief, and the most coveted claim “The Quaid-e-Azam’s Own".Khawaja Nazimuddin
Khawaja Nazimuddin
Hajji Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, KCIE , was the second Governor-General of Pakistan, and later the second Prime Minister of Pakistan as well.-Early life:...
gave the Quaid-e-Azam banner to the Pakistan Military Academy on behalf of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The Quaid-e-Azam banner is held aloft by the champion company at every passing out parade. "Regimental colours presented in 1950 by Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan and the National Standard in 1961 by General Muhammad Musa, the then-Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, have been some of the honours showered on the Academy, which it has always jealously guarded and kept high in letter and spirit."
The 1965 war led to expansion of the academy, and the second battalion of the academy was created in December 1965. This battalion consisted of four companies, called Ghaznavi, Babur, Aurangzeb, and Tipu. In early 1989, the third battalion of the academy was founded. The third battalion's four companies are Haider, Ubaida, Saad, and Hamza.
The man described at the time in the press as the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, was killed in 2011 in a compound
Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad
Osama bin Laden's compound, known locally as the Waziristan Haveli , is the safe house in which Osama bin Laden was hiding when he was killed. The structure is located at the end of a dirt road in Abbottabad, Pakistan. About 35 Miles north of the capital, Islamibad, and just 0.8 miles southwest of...
in which he was hiding about 5 Kilometres from the Academy. This raised questions as to whether Pakistani military knew of bin Laden's location and if he was shielded.
Location
The academy is located in Abbottabad, at an elevation of 1,220 meters (4,000 feet). Abbotabad is a military town, with a robust presence of soldiers engaged in various activities. The academy is located within a mile roughly 25 degrees north by northeast of Osama bin Laden's compound (34°10'9.52"N 73°14'32.51"E) where he was shot and killed by US military forces in an operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, in the early morning hours of May 2nd, 2011, about 15 miles west of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) border and 33 miles north by northeast (18 degrees) of the capitol city of Islamabad.Mission
To foster and inculcate those attributes in a Gentleman Cadet (GC) which will ensure his continuous and progressive development as a regular officer in the Pakistan Army. To develop future officers for the Pakistan Army by training the Gentleman Cadets in a way that they can make decisions as and when required by the military profession.Training
At PMA potential officers undergo a series of grueling training programs designed to inculcate the attributes and qualities essential for a career in the Pakistani armed forces.From 1976 to 1989, a Junior Cadet Battalion (JCB) was established which took even younger men, groomed them for two years to the Military Culture and also imparted Higher Secondary Education.
1st Pakistan Battalion (Quaid-e-Azam's own)
1st Pakistan Battalion consists of four companies:- Khalid
- Tariq
- Qasim
- Salahuddin
2nd Pakistan Battalion (Quaid-e-Azam's own)
2nd Pakistan Battalion consists of four companies:- Ghaznavi
- Babur
- Aurangzeb
- Tipu
3rd Pakistan Battalion (Quaid-e-Azam's own)
3rd Pakistan Battalion consists of four companies:- Haider
- Ubaida
- Saad
- Hamza
Curriculum
The Pakistan Military Academy is a medium-sized, highly residential baccalaureate college, with a full-time, four-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions with no graduate program. The objective of Academic wing is to teach the cadets to complete their bachelors of Science and bachelors of Arts Degrees.Courses
There are five courses running parallel to each other. The courses are:- PMA Long Course
The PMA Long Course is for cadets who join all arms and services after their commission. The Long Course is has a duration of two years, which is further divided into four terms of six months each. After the 2 year training period Cadets pass out as 2nd Lieutenants.
•
- PMA Graduate Course
The PMA Graduate Course is taken by those cadets, who have already graduated. These cadets, like those of the Technical Graduate Course, undergo one year of military training. They pass out as 2nd Lieutenants. Graduate Course has been closed down because of the new policy.
- PMA Technical Graduate Course (TGC)
The PMA Technical Graduate Course is for cadets, who have already done their degrees in the College of Aeronautical Engineering
College of Aeronautical Engineering
The College of Aeronautical Engineering is located at the Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and is affiliated with the National University of Sciences and Technology ....
, Military College of Signals
Military College of Signals
Military College of Signals is a military school located at Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan, it is an affiliate of the National University of Sciences and Technology.-Courses offered:...
, College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
The College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering or is the largest constituent college of the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan.- Location :...
and Military College of Engineering
Military College of Engineering
Military College of Engineering is located at Risalpur, in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Military College of Engineering was established by Pakistan Army.-About the college:...
. They undergo a training period of one year and then pass out as Captains.
- PMA Integrated Course (IC)
The PMA Integrated Course is for cadets of medical services, ICTO's, graduates of Army Medical College and Army Education Corps and for those who have done their masters in different fields. The IC has a duration of six months. Cadets pass out as Captains.
- PMA Lady Cadet's Course (LCC)
The PMA Lady Cadet's Course was first started in November 2006. The course is taken by masters and bachelors qualified ladies who are sound professionals in their fields. The lady cadets undergo a training period of six months and pass out as Captains in supporting arms of the Pakistan Army.
Physical fitness
GCs (Gentlemen Cadets) are required to pass various physical tests. The academy has very high physical standards, which all cadets have to achieve in order to pass. The physical requirements increase with promotion to the next term. The basic requirement for all cadets either of first,second,third or fourth term is to be able to run one mile (1.6 km) within six minutes. Other tests includes push ups, sit ups, chin up, rope test, nine mile (14 km) running, assault course, acid test and agility tests like the horse test. These tests generally test the stamina and strength of a cadet.- There are a number of training exercises for cadets, which include Kick Off in the first term, Yarmuk and Path Finder in the second term, T.M Raiders and Panipat in the third term and Qiyadat in the final term.
- In the second term, GCs are required to spend three minutes in the Boxing Ring with another opponent following a lengthy training period.
- In the third term, Assault Course is also added as a part of PT Tests.
- In the fourth term, the most difficult test is the Acid Test.
Swimming has been made compulsory for all cadets.
LCs are also required to pass physical efficiency tests like GCs, but the standards are bit less keeping in view to their physique. The basic requirement for all lady cadets is to run one mile (1.6 km) within ten minutes. Other tests includes push ups, sit ups, bar hanging, assault course and also undegoes an exercise Qiyadat with GCs.
They are entitled to do Horse Riding, Shooting, Swimming, and Fencing; depending on their will. LCs also compete for firing medal and PT medal.
Notable alumni
As would perhaps be expected of an institution which has a near monopoly on the training of officers in a large country, many alumni have gone on to distinguished careers.Politicians/statesman
- General Rahimuddin KhanRahimuddin KhanRahimuddin Khan Afridi is a retired four-star general of the Pakistan Army who was the fourth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1984 to 1987. He was also the longest-serving Governor and martial law administrator of Balochistan, from 1978 to when he resigned in 1984...
, Gentleman Cadet No. 1, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. - General Pervez MusharrafPervez MusharrafPervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
, former Chief of Army Staff and President of PakistanPresident of PakistanThe President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a... - General Jehangir KaramatJehangir KaramatGeneral Jehangir Karamat, NI, TBt, afwc, psc, fsc, is a retired four-star general and a renowned military scientist who served as the former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army from January 1996 to October 1998, and then former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States from November 2004 to June...
, former Chief of Army Staff and AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to US - General C.S. Weerasuriya, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Ambassador to Pakistan
- General Asif NawazAsif NawazGeneral Asif Nawaz Janjua, NI, HI, SBt , afwc, psc , was a senior four-star general and the 10th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from August 16, 1991 till January 8, 1993. His tenure was cut short by his death after suffering a heart attack...
Janjua, former Chief of Army Staff - General Ashfaq Parvez KayaniAshfaq Parvez KayaniGeneral Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI, HI is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007...
, Chief of Army Staff - General Muhammad Aziz KhanMuhammad Aziz KhanGeneral Muhammad Aziz Khan, NI, SBt, HI, is a retired four-star general in the Pakistan Army who served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan. Before the former appointment, he had served as Chief of General Staff and Colonel Commandant IV Corps,...
, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of General Staff - General Ahsan Saleem HayatAhsan Saleem HayatGeneral Ahsan Saleem Hyat is a retired Pakistan Army senior four-star general who was the Vice Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army from 2004 to 2007. He was replaced by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on October 8, 2007.-Army career:He attended PAF Public School, Sargodha...
, former Vice Chief of Army Staff - General Ehsan ul HaqEhsan ul HaqGeneral Ehsan ul Haq , is a retired four-star general in the Pakistan Army who served as the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Pakistan Military until October 8, 2007...
, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff - General Tariq MajidTariq MajidGeneral Tariq Majid, NI, afwc, fsc, psc, is a retired Pakistan Army's four-star general who served as the Supreme Commandant of the Pakistan Defense Forces as the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 2007 to 2010...
, former Supreme Commandant of the Pakistan Defense Forces and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Captain Karnal Sher KhanKarnal Sher KhanKarnal Sher Khan was a pashtun Pakistani Army officer and one of only 10 recipients of Pakistan's highest gallantry award. He was a Captain in the 12 Northern Light Infantry and, previously in 27 Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan.-Name:Captain Sher Khan was born in Nawan Killi, a village in Swabi...
, NHNishan-e-HaiderNishan-e-Haider or Nishan-e-Hyder is the highest military decoration given by Pakistan . It was established in 1957 after Pakistan became a Republic, however, it was instituted retrospectively from Independence in 1947...
External links
- http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=267&rnd=469
- The Last of the Bengal Lancers
- Facebook Page about PMA Kakul