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What is the minimum height for Pak Army? For a PMA Long Course officer it is 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm). For a Punjab Police constable it is 5 feet 7 inches (170.2 cm). The four forces use different standards, and the same force uses different standards for different posts.
This guide puts every height and chest requirement in one table, for the Army, Navy, PAF and Punjab Police, so you can check your own post before you apply. The figures come from the force recruitment sites and the current advertisements.
Height and Chest at a Glance#
| Force | Minimum height (male) | Chest (male) |
|---|---|---|
| Pak Army (officer) | 5’4″ (162.5 cm) | 79 cm, expanding to 84 cm |
| Pak Army (soldier) | 5’6″ (167.5 cm) | As per BMI |
| Pak Navy (officer / sailor) | 5’4″ (162.5 cm) | Not published |
| PAF (all branches) | 5’4″ (162.5 cm) | Not published |
| Punjab Police (constable) | 5’7″ (170.2 cm) | 33 x 34.5 inches |
Pak Army Height and Chest in Pakistan#
The minimum height for a PMA Long Course officer is 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm). The same 5’4″ applies to the Technical Cadet Course, the Direct Short Service Commission, and male doctors (GDMO). Our join Pak Army guide explains the full PMA route: two years of training at the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, after the initial test, physical test, medical test and ISSB.
The chest standard for PMA is 79 cm (31 inches), expanding to 84 cm (33 inches). One general guide lists 81 cm and 86 cm instead (32 and 34 inches). The 79 and 84 cm figures are the PMA-specific ones; if your chest is between the two listings, confirm it at your Army Selection and Recruitment Centre.
Female officers need 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) for most courses. For the Lady Cadet Course and the Armed Forces Nursing Service, some sources list 5 feet (152.4 cm). Check the advertisement for your course, because the two figures are both in circulation.
A soldier (Sipahi) needs 5 feet 6 inches (167.5 cm). That is the commonly cited figure, though some sources list 5’3″ for certain trades. Military Police need 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm). Clerks, cooks and sanitary workers need 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm).
Weight is as per BMI for every Army course. There is no fixed weight in kilograms: your weight must be proportionate to your height under the Body Mass Index.
Is There Height Relaxation for Some Areas?#
Yes, for candidates from Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. For some trades, the height requirement is relaxed to 5 feet 4 inches for candidates from these areas. The relaxation matters most for soldier trades, where the standard is 5’6″: a candidate from these areas can qualify at 5’4″. The relaxation is applied by trade, and it is confirmed at the Army Selection and Recruitment Centre, so check it before you apply.
Pak Navy Height Requirements#
The minimum height for a PN Cadet and for sailors is 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm). That covers officers and general sailors in all branches. Our join Pak Navy guide explains the five routes, including the PN Cadet course and the sailor batches.
Some Navy branches need more height. Marines need 5 feet 6 inches (167.5 cm). Naval Police and Regulating need 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm). The PTI and Music branches need 170 cm as well.
Female officers need 5 feet (152.4 cm). A female technician also needs 152.4 cm. One branch has a maximum, not a minimum: FMT (Female Medical Technician) has a maximum height of 4 feet 8 inches.
No chest figure is published for the Navy. The Navy’s published standards list height only.
PAF Height Requirements#
The minimum height for every PAF branch is 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm). That includes General Duty Pilots, male and female, aeronautical engineers, air defence officers, and airmen. Our how to join PAF guide explains the routes, including the 138 CSC Accounts and IT course.
Female candidates have lower minimums in some branches. A female aeronautical engineer needs 4 feet 10 inches, and all other female posts need 4 feet 10 inches, except the female GDMO, who needs 5 feet. A GD Pilot must also meet cockpit height and leg length standards, and needs 6/6 vision without glasses.
Two PAF trades need 5 feet 9 inches. Provost (PAF Police) and Ground Combateer both need 5’9″ (175.3 cm). Airmen in AeroTrades and MTD (drivers) need 5’4″.
No chest figure is published for the PAF either. As with the Navy, the published standards list height only.
Punjab Police Height and Chest#
A Punjab Police constable needs 5 feet 7 inches (170.2 cm) if male, and 5 feet 2 inches (157.5 cm) if female. The male chest standard is 33 inches, expanding to 34.5 inches. These are the figures in the 2026 advertisements for constable, lady constable and driver constable posts.
Tribal areas get a relaxation. In the de-excluded tribal areas of Rajanpur and Tehsil Rojhan, the male height is 5 feet 5 inches, the female height is 5 feet 2 inches (5 feet 1 inch in Rojhan), and the male chest is 31 to 32.5 inches.
One guide says the 2026 physical measurement test checks height only, with no chest measurement. The advertisements themselves list the chest standard, so prepare for it: measure your chest unexpanded and expanded before you go.
Height is measured without shoes, and it can be re-measured at the medical exam. That applies across the forces: stand barefoot, stand straight, and do not try to stretch. If you fail the height check you are disqualified at the physical screening stage, before the written test.
How Height and Chest Are Measured#
Height is measured barefoot, against a stadiometer, at the initial medical. You stand straight with your heels together and your head level. The measurement is taken in centimetres and converted to feet and inches. If you are borderline, ask for a re-measurement: the standard allows it at the medical exam.
Chest is measured twice: relaxed and expanded. The tape goes around your chest at the nipple line, with your arms at your sides. The first reading is taken after a normal breath out. The second is taken after a deep breath in. Both readings must meet the standard: for the Army, 79 cm relaxed and 84 cm expanded; for Punjab Police, 33 inches relaxed and 34.5 inches expanded.
Weight is checked against your BMI at the same medical. Your height and weight are taken together, and your Body Mass Index must be within the force’s range. Our ISSB guide explains the next stage after the initial medical: four days of testing at an ISSB centre, with a maximum of two lifetime attempts.
The official portals are joinpakarmy.gov.pk, joinpaknavy.gov.pk, joinpaf.gov.pk and punjabpolice.gov.pk.
Frequently Asked Questions#
What is the minimum height for Pak Army?
5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm) for a PMA Long Course officer, and for the Technical Cadet Course, Direct Short Service Commission and male doctors. A soldier (Sipahi) needs 5 feet 6 inches, Military Police need 5 feet 8 inches, and female officers need 5 feet 2 inches for most courses.
Is there height relaxation for some areas?
Yes. Candidates from Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and Azad Jammu and Kashmir get the height requirement relaxed to 5 feet 4 inches for some trades. It matters most for soldier trades, where the standard is 5’6″. Punjab Police gives a similar relaxation in the tribal areas of Rajanpur: 5 feet 5 inches for men. Confirm the relaxation at your recruitment centre before you apply.
What is the chest requirement for Pak Army?
For PMA, 79 cm (31 inches) unexpanded, expanding to 84 cm (33 inches). One general guide lists 81 cm and 86 cm instead, so if your chest is between the two listings, confirm it at your Army Selection and Recruitment Centre.
What is the minimum height for PAF and Navy?
5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm) for both, for officers and for general sailors and airmen. Marines need 5 feet 6 inches, Naval Police need 5 feet 7 inches, and PAF Provost and Ground Combateer need 5 feet 9 inches. Female PAF engineers need 4 feet 10 inches, and female Navy officers need 5 feet.
Can I join if I am below the minimum height?
No, for that post. Height is checked at the physical screening stage, and candidates below the minimum are disqualified before the written test. Check the relaxation for your area, and check whether another post in the same force has a lower minimum: clerks, cooks and sanitary workers in the Army need 5 feet 3 inches.
