Pakistani cadet named best foreign graduate at Australia’s RMC Duntroon

WEB DESK: In a significant testament to the enduring military ties between Islamabad and Canberra, a Pakistani Army cadet has been named the ‘Overall Best Foreign Military Cadet’ at the prestigious Royal Military College (RMC) Duntroon in Australia.

Cadet Sardar Arsam Abbas, hailing from the Pakistan Military Academy’s (PMA) 152 Long Course, received the distinction during a graduation parade held in the Australian capital on Monday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s military, confirmed the achievement on Wednesday, noting that the award is reserved for the highest-performing international trainee across all physical, academic, and leadership facets of the rigorous curriculum.

A legacy of excellence in Canberra

The accolades for Cadet Abbas mark the 14th time a Pakistani trainee has secured this specific honour at Duntroon, which remains one of Australia’s premier officer-training institutions.

This recurring success highlights the high standards of the Pakistan Military Academy and the seamless integration of its cadets into international training environments.

Since 2009, 46 Pakistani cadets have successfully graduated from the institution, further cementing a robust professional relationship that spans over a decade of intensive exchange programmes.

Strengthening global defence ties

The bilateral cooperation extends beyond cadet training; according to the ISPR, seven Pakistan Army officers have served as platoon commanders at the Australian academy since 2013, providing instructional expertise to local and international cohorts alike.

Amid the celebrations, the military also paid tribute to the late Lt. Nasir Hussain Khalid Sehrai, a former recipient of the same award.

Lt. Sehrai, who was killed during counter-terrorism operations in North Waziristan in 2020, remains immortalised at the college, with his name inscribed on a memorial stone at the RMC parade ground a poignant reminder of the shared values of sacrifice and service between the two nations.