The same bunch of girls who pioneered as the PAF’s first CAE (engineering) & CFT (flight) cadets from the 116 & 117 intakes, some of who recently passed out as pilots, have made history yet again.
Two female CAE cadets at the academy, Bismah Nasim and Fatima Khalil took on the Paratrooping adventure course at the academy and got their blue wings upon completion of the course alongside 46 male mates some of which were officers, cadets and airmen.
The country’s only para school had been at Peshawar and all three forces conducted their para training there but recently the PAF academy had established a branch to conduct training for PAF cadets at the academy. The Navy as well has, or is planning to establish one in Karachi for Naval cadets I think.
It must be known that all ranks serving in the armed forces are eligible to apply for any such courses and are selected upon fitness/entrance tests. These course are mostly voluntary and although women had been serving the Pakistan armed forces for decades in various branches, no women officer or OR ever took up such a course, as far as my info at the moment goes.
At the academies cadets are entitled to take up an adventure course in the final or before final term and they have options among various courses. I’m not sure if it’s the same at PAF academy but at the PMA the options include diving, sailing, mountaineering, gliding, power gliding, paratrooping, marksmanship, archery etc.
The paratrooping course is one of the most prestigous and sought after and the coveted blue wings are the object of desire of many a soul. it’s worn on the right side of the uniform above the name badge and is awarded after 3 weeks of training and 5 jumps.
Also, an important point to be noted is that cadet Bisma Naseem is the one girl who deserves most credit for what these girls have achieved in the PAF. It was initially her zeal and enthusiasm for flying that made the PAF consider inducting girls. It was she who had initially raised the question to the govt, ministry of defense air and army chiefs through her various articles in young people’s magazines, papers and also through direct letters to ACM Pervez Mehdi Qureshi, ACM Mushaf Ali Mir and General Pervez Musharraf. She is quite a celebrity. Especially among military enthusiast circles, particularly those her age group. She wasnt able to continue as a flight cadet due to some flying aptitude issue and joined the Aeronautical Engineering stream.
