ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
CURRENT NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS
Pakistan achieved independence as a dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1947. The head of state was therefore King George VI and the Pakistan Navy bore the designation "Royal." As such the Navy used the White Ensign of the Royal Navy with a distinctive jack: green field, white crescent and star, two foul anchors. Rank flags and pennants were also identical to those of the RN. In 1956, however, Pakistan declared itself an Islamic republic. The "Royal" designation was dropped and the White Ensign was replaced by the current naval ensign. This is the national flag adopted in 1947: green with a white stripe at the hoist and a white crescent and star on the green field. Green, a color traditionally associated with Islam, symbolizes Pakistan's Muslim majority while white symbolizes the country's various minority groups. The crescent and star are also traditional Islamic symbols but officially they are said to stand for progress (the crescent) and the light of knowledge (the star). The ensign varies from the national flag only in its proportions, being 1:2 rather than 2:3. The National Standard of the Navy is a variant of the national flag, with green and white fringe and the the badge of the Navy in the upper portion of the white stripe.
The current naval jack replaced the green jack in 1960. New naval appointment and rank flags were also adopted at this time. These are based on the jack, as are the commodore's broad pennant and the senior officer pennant. The commission pennant is green and white like the ensign.
The rank of Admiral of the Fleet is an honorific bestowed for distinguished wartime service rather than a rank. Usually there is only one full admiral serving on active duty as Chief of Naval Staff and he uses the appointment flag rather than the rank flag of a full admiral. Thus the first two rank flags are rarely seen.
Flag Proportions: The naval ensign and the command pennants are proportioned 1:2. The National Standard is proportioned 3:5 (plus fringe). The jack and rank/position flags are made in 2:3 proportions.
