Pakistan Military Academy Kakul

The Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), established in October 1947 in Kakul, Abbottabad, is the country's premier training institute for army officers. Accredited by NUST, it hosts cadets from over 34 countries annually. Before independence, the site was a British Indian Army training ground. After partition, Brigadier Francis Ingall, PMA’s first commandant, modeled it after Sandhurst. The first batch began training in January 1948, with four companies named after Muslim military figures. PMA received the Quaid-e-Azam's patronage in 1948, and significant honors followed, including the Quaid-e-Azam banner and regimental colors. Expansion occurred post-1965 war, adding more battalions. In 2016, General Raheel Sharif inaugurated the 4th battalion, further strengthening PMA’s legacy in producing capable military leaders