Pakistan-Uniforms, Ranks, and Insignia

Pakistani military uniforms closely resemble those of the British armed services. The principal colors are greenish brown for the army, navy blue for the navy, and light blue for the air force. Brown and black camouflage fatigues are commonly worn by army troop units. Rank insignia also are similar to those used by the British (see fig. 11; fig. 12).

The rank structure is also patterned on the British model. Following the British Indian tradition, there are three junior commissioned officer (JCO) grades between enlisted and officer rank for those who rise by promotion from among enlisted recruits. The junior commissioned officer is a continuation of the former viceroy's commissioned officer rank. During the early days of the Pakistan Army, there was a large cultural gap between officers and enlisted personnel. In the early 1990s, JCOs had wide responsibilities in the day-to-day supervision of lower grades, but they were a group that may have outlived its usefulness because officers have become "more Pakistani" and less dependent on British models and because the education level of enlisted men has risen. Promotion to JCO rank, however, remains a powerful incentive for enlisted personnel; thus, if JCO ranks are ever phased out, it will likely be a slow process.

Data as of April 1994