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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 .
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
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