The number of Pakistani women officers receiving military training in the United States has increased by 150 percent over the past decade, according to a recent report from the US State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
Since 2013, there has been a significant rise in Pakistani female military personnel participating in the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program. This State Department-sponsored initiative aims to strengthen military-to-military relationships with partner nations by funding international military students to attend American military training and education courses.
“From 2020 to 2023, fifty-five women attended IMET courses, more than doubling the twenty-two who participated from 2013 to 2019,” the report stated. “Additionally, Pakistan has led the region in sending female military officers to the United States for courses over the last two years.”
Pakistani women officers have been attending specialized courses in areas such as anti-terrorism and anti-piracy, military justice, information technology, cyber strategies, public affairs, gender-based violence, and medical training.
Two women completed MBAs in financial management at the US Naval Postgraduate School. Another student from the Judicial Commission returned to Pakistan in a train-the-trainer role, tasked with updating the national curriculum. Additionally, two female officers qualified for the Pakistani staff college this year, paving the way for them to attend staff college in the United States.
“With women now serving in combat arms ranks within the Pakistani military, female officers are attending professional military education courses and returning to take on leadership positions,” the report concluded.
