Pakistan's first women paratroopers make history

ISLAMABAD, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said on Sunday that its female army officers have jumped from military helicopters for the first time in the country's history.

An army statement said a total of 24 lady officers of Pakistan Army successfully completed a three-week Basic Airborne course at Parachute Training School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

"Pakistan Army, in another landmark achievement, successfully completed the first ever Lady Officers Para Trooping Course at Para Training School," the statement from the army's Inter- Services Public Relations said.

Besides challenging physical training, Para jumping course involved training in exit, flight and landing techniques, it said.

The paratroopers are taught to control their parachutes while descending and to carryout emergency measures such as untwisting their rigging lines, taking the necessary action upon collision with another parachutist and landing in water.

The chief of the Army Staff congratulated all the lady officers and their training staff on successful completion of training and valued their level of high morale, the statement said.

Captain Sadia was the first lady officer who jumped from a MI- 17 helicopter and marked the history whereas Captain Kiran Ashraf was declared the best paratrooper of the batch.

The lady officers were awarded with the Para Wings (Insignia) at a ceremony by Major General Abid Rafique, General Officer Commanding Special Service Group, the army said.

We Recommend:
U.S. presidents and their pets	Highlights of 50th Int'l Paris Air Show	Best photos of week (June 17 - June 23)
Venezuelan Army School boat visits Cuba	Afghan refugees at UNHCR registration center	Beauty contest held in Budapest, Hungary
Angelina Jolie visits refugee camp	'Super moon' hangs in the sky over Rotterdam	LA' Chinatown sets up statue of Bruce Lee