How to Join Pakistan Air Force: Eligibility, Physical Standards and Selection Process

Joining the Pakistan Air Force as a commissioned officer is one of the most competitive career routes in Pakistan. This guide explains the evergreen eligibility and selection pattern, based on the last induction and the official portal, so applicants can prepare before the next course opens. Read the current status box first: no officer registration is claimed open in this guide.

Current status: July 2026 induction closed, next course via the official portal

The July 2026 commissioned officer induction, with registration from 22 July to 3 August 2026 according to secondary listings of that induction, is closed. The official portal, joinpaf.gov.pk, was checked on 26 October 2026 and shows no open officer course registration. Its only current notice is that registration for Education Instructors and Religious Teachers (Entry 2510) is delayed, with a new date to be announced. Do not trust any social media post that claims an officer course is open today: check joinpaf.gov.pk for the next course.

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Commission types and cadres

The official portal lists three officer commission types: Permanent Commission (PC), Special Purpose Short Service Commission (SPSSC) and Short Service Commission (SSC). Alongside officers, the PAF also has Airmen and Civilian cadres. This guide covers officer entry only, because that is where the July 2026 induction pattern is documented in detail.

General Duty Pilot, 162 GD(P) Course, Permanent Commission

General Duty Pilot, known as GD(P), is the flying branch. For the July 2026 pattern: applicants must be male or female citizens of Pakistan, unmarried, aged 16 to 22 years as on 15 April 2027, with a minimum height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) and vision of 6/6 in each eye without glasses. Colour blindness is a disqualification. Education requires a minimum of 65 percent aggregate in any one of: FSc Pre-Engineering, Pre-Medical or Computer Science; A-Level with Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science or Biology; FSc with Physics and any two of Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science and Biology; or a Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE) in Avionics, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics, Instrumentation and Process Control, Telecommunication, Automation, Computer Information or Software. Training lasts 4 years, with a BS in Aviation Management, or a BE in Aerospace or Avionics from the College of Aeronautical Engineering (CAE). Candidates awaiting their FSc Part II result could apply with at least 70 percent marks in Part I and a Hope Certificate from their college principal. Note on a held figure: most July 2026 listings give 5 feet 4 inches for both male and female GD(P) candidates, but one GD(P) guide gives 5 feet for females, so this guide prints no separate female GD(P) height until the next official advertisement settles it.

Aeronautical Engineering, 108 Course, Permanent Commission

For the July 2026 pattern: applicants must be male or female citizens of Pakistan, unmarried, aged 16 to 22 years. Minimum height is 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) for males and 4 feet 10 inches (147 cm) for females. Education requires a minimum of 65 percent aggregate in FSc Pre-Engineering, A-Level with Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry, FSc with Physics, Mathematics and Computer Studies, or a DAE in the engineering disciplines listed for GD(P). Training lasts 4 years, with a BE in Avionics. No date is claimed here for a future Aeronautical course: the next course will be announced on joinpaf.gov.pk.

Air Defence and other branches, map level only

Air Defence, for the July 2026 pattern, is listed as male citizens of Pakistan, unmarried, aged 16 to 22 years, with a minimum height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm). No course number is printed for Air Defence, because listings for the same cycle disagree on the number. The same July 2026 induction also names Admin and Special Duties, Logistics, Education, Accounts, IT and MET branches under Short Service Commission and SPSSC, with degree level qualifications and ages generally 20 to 29 years depending on the branch. Branch by branch age and qualification detail is not printed here, because listings disagree on some branch ages: take branch detail from the next official advertisement only.

Selection process, step by step

The convergent pattern from the July 2026 listings is: Step 1, online registration at joinpaf.gov.pk during the registration window, then print the roll number slip with test date and selection centre. Step 2, e-testing at a PAF Information and Selection Centre, with an intelligence test first, then academic tests. Reported pattern: GD(P), Air Defence, Admin and Special Duties and Logistics take English and Physics; Aeronautical Engineering takes English, Physics and Mathematics. Step 3, initial medical examination and interview at the Information and Selection Centre. Step 4, ISSB tests at Kohat, Gujranwala, Malir or Quetta for shortlisted candidates. Step 5, for GD(P) only, a Flying Aptitude Test at 11 OC Rawalpindi or Karachi. Step 6, final medical examination at Combined Military Hospital, Lahore. Step 7, for SSC candidates only, an Air Headquarters Selection Board interview. Final selection is by Air Headquarters strictly on overall merit. Information and Selection Centres named in the July 2026 listings are Abbottabad, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Kharian, Muzaffarabad, Mianwali, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Gilgit and D.I. Khan. Physical fitness figures that appear in some guides are not printed for officers here, because they were not confirmed against the official advertisement in this research.

Documents checklist

Documents reported as required are: original Matric and FSc result cards, NADRA Smart Card or B-Form (plus parents CNICs if under 18), domicile certificate, 4 passport size photographs, IBCC equivalence for A-Level students, Hope Certificate where applicable, and the ISSB Not Recommended letter for repeaters. No salary figure for a PAF officer is printed in this guide, because no verified pay figure was found in this research.

FAQs

Can females apply for GD(P)? Yes, the July 2026 pattern lists male and female citizens of Pakistan for GD(P), with the female height point held as stated above. What if my FSc result is awaited? Use the Hope Certificate route described above, with at least 70 percent in Part I. What happens after ISSB? Shortlisted candidates go through the remaining steps above, ending in final selection by Air Headquarters on merit. Where does training happen? The degree note in this guide is the CAE degree for GD(P) and Aeronautical Engineering; confirm the training location in the next official advertisement.

Sources: Pakistan Air Force official portal, joinpaf.gov.pk, checked 26 October 2026 (commission types, Entry 2510 delayed notice); July 2026 induction listings, labelled as secondary pattern, not an official advertisement: Jobustad, Shaheen Leader Academy, PakShaheens, Talib.pk, Sohail Forces, Pak Forces Info blog.

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