Pakistani cadet graduates from US Air Force Academy
June 12, 2021
A Pakistani cadet has become the only one from the country to graduate from the US Air Force Academy in 2021.
"Congratulations to Flying Officer Shahrukh Khan on becoming the only Pakistani cadet to graduate from the US Air Force Academy, [Class of] 2021," wrote the US Embassy in Islamabad in a message on Twitter.
The Embassy said Khan was accepted into the academy in 2017 at the age of 19 and underwent four years of "rigorous academic and military training".
Pakistan, at the time of Shahrukh's departure in 2017, had one student enrolled in the United States Naval Academy, three in the United States Air Force Academy, and four in the United States Military Academy.
Before departing for the programme, Shahrukh had said: “I’m excited to go, to learn about the world and people and their different backgrounds.”
He had plans to study engineering at the academy.
“From a military standpoint, it will be a chance for me to excel. I learned a lot in Pakistan. The US Air Force Academy will teach me new and different things,” he said.
According to the Embassy, Shahrukh was among 12 students nominated by the Pakistani military to compete in the Service Academy Foreign Student programme. Under this programme, partner nations nominate outstanding young men and women for the opportunity to compete for admission to the prestigious US military academies.
Due to the critical military relationship between Pakistan and the United States, Pakistan is one of only 12 countries designated by the United States Secretary Defense as a priority appointment country.
