Pakistan Army ranks and insignia

Last updated March 15, 2024

The Pakistan Army ranks and insignia encompass the military insignia utilized by the Pakistan Army. As a former Dominion, Pakistan adopts a rank structure similar to that of the British Army.^[1]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers in the Pakistan Army.

Rank group	General officers								Senior officers								Junior officers
Pakistan Army ^[2] v t e
Pakistan Army ^[2] v t e	Field marshal فیلڈ مارشل		General جنرل		Lieutenant general لیفٹیننٹ جنرل		Major general میجر جنرل		Brigadier بریگیڈیئر		Colonel کرنل		Lieutenant colonel لیفٹیننٹ کرنل		Major میجر		Captain کیپٹن		Lieutenant لیفٹنینٹ			Second lieutenant سیکنڈ لیفٹیننٹ

Other ranks

Junior Commissioned Officers display their rank insignias on their shoulders, Non-Commissioned Officers showcase their rank insignias on mid sleeves, and in combat uniforms, all individuals wear rank insignias on their chest. The non-commissioned officer status begins with the rank of 'Lance Naik.' Company Quartermaster Havildar, Company Havildar Major, Battalion Quartermaster Havildar, and Battalion Havildar Major are company/battalion appointments held by senior Havildars.^[3] The ranks of Sowar, Daffadars, and Risaldars are utilized in the armoured corps.

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers			Non commissioned officers			Enlisted
Pakistan Army ^[2] v t e							No insignia
Pakistan Army ^[2] v t e	Subedar-major صوبیدار میجر	Subedar صوبیدار	Naib subedar نائب صوبیدار	Havildar حوالدار	Naik نائیک	Lance naik لانس نائیک	Sepoy سپاہی
Cavalry ranks	Risaldar major رسالدار میجر	Risaldar رسالدار	Naib risaldar نائب رسالدار	Daffadar دفعدار	Lance daffadar لانس ڈیفدار	Acting lance daffadar قائم مقام لانس دفدار	Sowar سوار

Appointment insignias of senior N.C.O.s (except the armoured corps)

	Battalion havildar major	Battalion quartermaster havildar	Company havildar major	Company quartermaster havildar

Related Research Articles

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.

Sergeant is a rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, serjeant, is used in The Rifles and other units that draw their heritage from the British light infantry. Its origin is the Latin serviens, 'one who serves', through the Old French term serjant.

Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries.

A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.

Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.

The chart below shows the current enlisted rank insignia of the United States Army, with seniority, and pay grade, increasing from right to left. The enlisted ranks of corporal (E-4) and higher are considered non-commissioned officers (NCOs). The rank of specialist is also in pay grade E-4, but does not hold non-commissioned officer status; it is common that a soldier may never hold the rank of corporal, and instead be promoted from specialist to sergeant, attaining junior NCO status at that time.

Colour sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer found in several armies and marine corps.

Havildar or havaldar is a rank in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese armies, equivalent to sergeant. It is not used in cavalry units, where the equivalent is daffadar.

"Other ranks" is the term used to refer to all ranks below officers in the British Army and the Royal Marines. It includes warrant officers, non-commissioned officers ("NCOs") and ordinary soldiers with the rank of private or regimental equivalent. Officers may, in speaking, distinguish themselves from those "in the ranks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quartermaster</span> Army supply personnel or naval enlisted rating

Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In many navies, a quartermaster is an officer with particular responsibility for steering and signals. The seaman is a non-commissioned officer rank; in some others, it is not a rank but a role related to navigation.

Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) is a term used for a group of military ranks which is higher than havildar and lower than lieutenant. The term is only used by Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Senior havildars are promoted to JCO rank on the basis of merit and seniority, restricted by the number of vacancies. JCOs are treated as a separate class and hold additional privileges. Primarily the term was associated with armies but since the 2000s India and Pakistan's navies and air forces are using the term to indicate their Chief Petty Officers and Warrant Officers.

The comparative military ranks of Korea are the military insignia used by the two nations on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the Korean People's Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United States Forces Korea personnel wear the ranks and insignia used by other service personnel of the United States Armed Forces in the territories of the United States.

The Indian Army, the land component of the Indian Armed Forces, follows a certain hierarchy of rank designations and insignia derived from the erstwhile British Indian Army (BIA).

Subedar-major is the senior-most rank of junior commissioned officer in the Indian and Pakistani Armies, formerly known as the Viceroy's commissioned officer in the British Indian Army.

Master warrant officer (MWO) is a senior military rank in the Bangladesh Armed Forces, the Canadian Forces, Singapore Armed Forces, the South African National Defence Force and the Israel Defense Forces.

Quartermaster sergeant (QMS) is a class of rank or appointment in some armed forces, especially those of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and formerly also in the United States.

The Military ranks of Bangladesh are the military insignia used by the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladeshi rank structure is similar to that of the United Kingdom except general officer ranks. Bangladesh Army has Junior Commissioned Officer rank system like India and Pakistan.

First sergeant is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrant officer (United Kingdom)</span> Non-commissioned rank in the British Armed Forces

A warrant officer (WO) in the British Armed Forces is a member of the highest-ranking group of non-commissioned ranks, holding the King's Warrant, which is signed by the Secretary of State for Defence.

References

↑ Thornton, Thomas P. (1995). "National Security". In Blood, Peter R. (ed.). Pakistan: a country study. Area Handbook (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 295. LCCN 95017247 . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
1 2 "Pakistan Army Ranks with Salary and Insignia". pakistanforces.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
↑ "Badges of Rank". pakistanarmy.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

External links

"Pakistan". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 25 October 2021.

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[1] Thornton, Thomas P. (1995). "National Security". In Blood, Peter R. (ed.). Pakistan: a country study. Area Handbook (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 295. LCCN 95017247 . Retrieved 25 October 2021.

[Pakistan_Army-2] 1 2 "Pakistan Army Ranks with Salary and Insignia". pakistanforces.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

[3] "Badges of Rank". pakistanarmy.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

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