The Sword of Honour is an honorary sword awarded to that “Gentleman Cadet” or “Gentlewoman Cadet” who achieves an overall best performance during his or her entire training period at the Pakistan Military Academy

Pakistan Military Academy

The Pakistan Military Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service military academy. It is located at Kakul near Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....

 at Kakul

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:...

, the Pakistan Air Force Academy

Pakistan Air Force Academy

"RAF Risalpur", "Risalpur Airbase/Airfield" & "Pakistan Air Force/PAF Base Risalpur" redirects here.The Pakistan Air Force Academy also known as PAFA, is an accredited co-educational four-year college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force...

 at Risalpur

Risalpur

Risalpur is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 15 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin some 1014 feet above sea level, it is bounded on the south and west by the Kabul and...

, or the Pakistan Naval Academy

Pakistan Naval Academy

The Pakistan Naval Academy The Pakistan Naval Academy The Pakistan Naval Academy (formerly known as Pakistan Naval Station Rahbar (PNS Rahbar) is a four-year coeducational federal military academy located in Manora Island, Sindh Province, Pakistan...

 at Karachi

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...

. The award of a Sword of Honour is regarded as a significant honour by the officers of the Armed Forces of 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...

 and many cadets aspire to win it.

This award is usually presented at the final passing out ceremony, which takes place every year at the parade grounds of the respective Academies. Usually, the President of Pakistan

President of Pakistan

The 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...

personally confers this honour.

First Woman Cadet to receive Sword of Honour

On 22 September 2006, aviation cadet Saira Amin became the first female cadet in the history of Pakistan's Armed Forces to win the award when she was presented with the Sword of Honour at the Passing-Out Parade of the 117th GD Pilot Course.