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- Cadets from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Palestine and Sri Lanka were also among graduating cadets at Kakul
- Parents were not invited and cadets have been sent directly to their units, says military source
ISLAMABAD: For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the passing out parade of graduating cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul on Saturday was held without parents and other official guests as part of coronavirus containment measures.
The last time the PMA graduation was held without an audience was in 1947, immediately following the partition of Pakistan and India, when the then Indian Military Academy course graduated without a passing out parade.
“No guests were invited as a precautionary measure due to coronavirus outbreak but passing out parade took place as per regular military standards,” a military source told Arab News and added that all the passed-out cadets had been directly moved to their respective units.
“No one was allowed to go on leave to their homes before joining,” the military source added.
Cadets from Sri Lanka, Iraq, Palestine and Saudi Arabia were also among the passed-out cadets, the military’s media wing, ISPR, said in a statement.
Inspector General Training and Evaluation, Lt. Gen. Sher Afgan, reviewed the parade as its chief guest and gave awards to distinguished cadets.
“Passing out parade of cadets of 141 Long Course, 60th Integrated Course, 10th Mujahid Course and 15th Lady Cadets Course held at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul on Saturday,” the ISPR statement said.