Paramilitary forces of Pakistan
The paramilitary forces of Pakistan (Urdu: نظامیانِ نیم عسکری پاکستان) consist of various uniformed organizations that are sanctioned by the Pakistani constitution and government, and charged with a wide range of internal and external duties. The country's paramilitary forces, while not being formally part of its military, operate in an armed militaristic capacity, sometimes working alongside the Pakistan Armed Forces to provide security and/or relief (e.g. in response to natural disasters) or directly under the military's command in times of war.[1] Alongside federal paramilitaries that have jurisdiction across the entire state or more than one province, Pakistan also maintains a variety of paramilitaries at the provincial level, with special cases for the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit−Baltistan, which function as de jure autonomous states and therefore operate organizations separate from those sanctioned by the federal and provincial governments.[2][3]
Federal paramilitaries[]
| Paramilitary Forces of Pakistan | |
|---|---|
| Service branches | Federal Paramilitary Forces
Pakistan National Guard |
| Headquarters | Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and Gilgit |
As of 2013, the strength of Pakistan's federal paramilitaries is approximately 330,000 personnel,[4][better source needed] which are divided into two main categories:
- Paramilitary forces that operate under the Interior Ministry of Pakistan, known as the Civil Armed Forces (CAF)
- Second-line and reserve paramilitary forces that operate under the Defence Ministry of Pakistan
Some federal paramilitaries under the Interior Ministry can also have their command superseded by the Defence Ministry, effectively combined to form a reserve force for the Pakistani military during times of war.
Strength and divisions[]
| Force | Government department(s) | Headquarters | Total active personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Guard | Ministry of Defence | Rawalpindi, Punjab | 185,000[5] |
| Maritime Security Agency | Ministry of Defence | Karachi, Sindh | 2,500[5] |
| Pakistan Coast Guards | Ministry of Defence | Karachi, Sindh | 7,000[5] |
| Pakistan Rangers | Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence |
Islamabad, ICT
Lahore, Punjab Karachi, Sindh |
100,000[6] |
| Frontier Corps | Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence |
Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 60,000[citation needed] |
| Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts | Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence |
Gilgit, Gilgit−Baltistan | 2,481[5] |
| Frontier Constabulary | Ministry of Interior | Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 26,000[citation needed] |
| Anti-Narcotics Force | Ministry of Narcotics Control | Rawalpindi, Punjab | 3,100[citation needed] |
| Airports Security Force | Ministry of Defence Federal Aviation Division |
Karachi, Sindh | 8,930[citation needed] |
Civil Armed Forces (CAF)[]
CAF units are authorised by the Constitution of Pakistan with border security and internal security duties, but can be "regularised" i.e. attached to regular Army as necessary.
The CAF are paid for from the budget of the Ministry of Interior which also provides administrative support. However they are (with the exception of the Frontier Constabulary) commanded by officers on secondment from the Pakistan Army. They function under the operational control of army corps headquarters, not just in war time but whenever Article 245 of the Pakistani Constitution is invoked to provide 'military aid to civil power', for example in Karachi since 2015, and in Punjab since February 2017 .
The CAF are currently undergoing significant expansion of some (57) additional 'wings' approved for raising in the 2015–16 to deal with the challenging internal and border security environment and to provide security for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), co-ordinated by a new 2-star command raised in September 2016, the Special Security Division.[7]
Many CAF units were originally raised in the colonial era on the frontiers of the empire, and played a key role in the consolidation of control by building a link between the state and communities in strategically sensitive frontier areas through recruitment to government service. In many areas paramilitary units continue to play exactly the same historical role decades after independence.
- Pakistan Rangers: A generic phrase for two distinct organisations, the Punjab Rangers headquartered in Lahore and the Sindh Rangers in Karachi divided into battalion sized "wings" of approximately 800 men each. This force has a border security role on Punjab and Sindh provinces' the International Border with India, but also perform internal security duties (counter-insurgency, counter-gang, public order, etc.) under the operational control Pakistan Army corps commanders.[8]
- Frontier Corps: The Frontier Corps, like the Rangers, is a generic phrase for two distinct organisations, the FC KP and FC Balochistan. FC KP before the current round of expansion consisted of 15 corps in the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas) with headquarters in Peshawar. FC Balochistan has 17 corps based in Balochistan with its HQ in Quetta. FC KP under the command of the Army's XI Corps has been in the forefront of COIN operations against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and various foreign jihadis since 2003: FC Balochistan under XII Corps has been conducting similar operations against Baloch separatists in the same timeframe. In 2017, the FC in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was split into two formations, FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North and FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa South in the latter and FC Balochistan North and FC Balouchistan South in the former.
- Frontier Constabulary: The Frontier Constabulary operates within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is responsible for border protection within the former FATAs and the border with Afghanistan; unlike the Frontier Corps it is commanded by police officers.
- Gilgit Baltistan Scouts: Headquarters are in Gilgit. The Northern Light Infantry was converted in 1999 from a paramilitary force comparable to the Rangers and FC into one of the infantry regiments of the Pakistan Army in recognition of their performance and their heavy losses during the Kargil War in which they played a leading part on the ground. Subsequently, they have been replaced in the paramilitary 'Civil Armed Forces' role by the Scouts.
- Pakistan Coast Guards: The Coast Guards are charged and mandated with protecting the coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh Province. It is largely a shore-based force with a particular focus on combatting smuggling. It is commanded by one-star rank brigadier and headquartered in Karachi, Sindh.
MoD Paramilitary Forces[]
- Pakistan National Guard: The National Guard, the military reserve of the Pakistan Army, comprises the Janbaz Force and locally recruited militia, the Mujahid Force, and are charged with air defence. Also included the dissolved National Cadet Corps and Women's Guard.
- Maritime Security Agency: The 2,500-strong Maritime Security Agency, headquartered in Karachi, is a coast guard and is responsible for patrolling Pakistan's territorial waters. The MSA is equipped with a former Pakistan Navy destroyer, two coastal patrol craft and four oceanic patrol craft. It too is seeing significant upgrades and expansion as a result of CPEC.
- Defence Service Guard: The DSG Corps provides static security to MoD and MoDP installations across Pakistan, including highly sensitive nuclear facilities. Its regimental centre is in Dera Ismail Khan. It was known from 1947 onwards as the MoD Constabulary until its renaming.
Note that the Northern Light Infantry and the Azad Kashmir Regiment were once considered paramilitary forces until their promotion into the Pakistan Army in 1999[9][10][11][12] and 1972[13] respectively.
Other Federal Paramilitary Forces[]
- Anti-Narcotics Force: ANF is a principal agency in Pakistan for combating supply and demand reduction of illicit narcotic drugs that enter Pakistan mainly through the long porous border with Afghanistan. The agency works under umbrella of Pakistan Army and Ministry of Narcotics Control. It also carries out Raids and Intelligence Based Operations IBOs against Narcotics, Illegal Arms Ammunition, Money Laundering and dangerous/inflammable Chemicals.
- Airport Security Force: Safeguarding and protecting airports in Pakistan. Formerly part of the Ministry of Defence but later transferred to the Cabinet Secretariat Aviation Division[14]
Provincial paramilitaries[]
The police forces of the Provinces of Pakistan & Federal Capital maintain paramilitary arms which act as a mobile armed reserve. They are not usually in contact with the public except during public events, civil unrest, and natural disasters. They maintain key guard posts and participate in antiterrorist operations. Depending on the type of assignment, they may be or may not be carrying firearms.
Balochistan[]
- Balochistan Police - a 38,000-strong urban police force with jurisdiction in 8 out of 30 districts of Balochistan.[15]
- Counter Terrorism Force of 900 personnel in 11 wings[16]
- , a reserve police unit of more than 10,000 personnel.[17][18][19] In 1978, the Baluchistan Constabulary, or parts of it, located at districts Kharan and Khuzdar, was converted to a unit of Frontier Corps (Balochistan) and named the Kharan Rifles. The personnel of the constabulary units were organized as 75 Wing and 76 Wing, while 84 Wing of Chagai Militia was detached from that unit and placed under a command given the name Kharan Rifles.
- Balochistan Levies, a 23,000-strong[20] law enforcement and security agency,[21] and has jurisdiction in 22 out of 30 districts of Balochistan.[15]
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[]
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Rapid Response Force
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police , a 10,000-man force operating in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[22]
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Elite force is a specialized unit of 6,000 high risk security operations and counter terrorism.[23]
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Special Combat Unit (SCU) - a large province wide tactical police unit
- Levies are raised by local officials for local tasks, typically for local order and security, i.e. Dir, Mohmand, and Khyber Agencies.
- Malakand Levies, operates on Malakand Division
- Dir Levies
- Khasadar Forces located throughout the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), are locally recruited and maintained tribal security force, paid for through a stipend provided to the tribe by the Pakistan government.[24] 40,000 Khasadar serve seven former tribal agencies and six frontier regions.[25]
Note that the Levies and Khasadar are now part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police as the armed reserves for their respective AOR.[26]
Punjab[]
- Punjab Police
- Punjab Police Dolphin Force - a motorcycle based mobile patrol force
- Punjab Police Elite Police is the highly trained tactical that assists district police with high-risk operations
- Punjab Police (SPU) 3,829 men providing security for foreigners working on national important projects within Punjab[27]
Sindh[]
- Sindh Police
- Sindh Police Sindh Reserve Police
- Sindh Police Special Security Unit
- Sindh Police Rapid Response Force
Islamabad Police[]
- Islamabad Police
- Islamabad Police Armed Response Unit
- Islamabad Police Anti Terrorist Squad
- Islamabad Police Theft Reporting Counter
Other territories[]
 | This section does not cite any sources. (June 2021) |
Azad Jammu and Kashmir is not officially a province of Pakistan but it has limited self-rule and hence their own police force each of which maintains paramilitary branches.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir[]
Azad Kashmir is the Pakistani portion of Jammu and Kashmir which has its own Azad Kashmir Police who maintains several paramilitary forces within it.
Gilgit−Baltistan[]
Gilgit−Baltistan is the currently independent northernmost portion of the Pakistan which maintains the Gilgit-Baltistan Police and is home to the Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts.
See also[]
- Law enforcement in Pakistan
- Armed forces of Pakistan
References[]
- ^ "COAS directs Karachi Corps to step up rescue work". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan: Between the Kashmir conflict and China". Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan: Between the Kashmir conflict and China. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "No link with recent GB, upcoming AJK polls: ECP". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Pakistan Intelligence, security Activities and Operations Handbook, Int'l Business Publications, 2011 Edition, pp. 131, ISBN 0-7397-1194-6
- ^ The International Institute of Strategic Studies (14 February 2017). The Military Balance 2017. Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated. ISBN 9781857439007.
- ^ Uploader (15 August 2016). "NAP decision: 29 new wings of civil armed forces to be raised". Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ^ "Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)". Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
- ^ https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 Archived 25 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI)
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ http://www.gilgitbaltistanscouts.gov.pk/gbs%20history.htm Archived 4 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine History of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
- ^ Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 255, ISBN 978-1-84904-342-7
- ^ "Azad Kashmir Regiment". 22 March 2016. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016.
- ^ "Videos - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Shahid, Saleem (15 April 2012). "Levies force restored in Balochistan". Dawn. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ "Counter Terrorist Force (CTF) - Balochistan Police". www.balochistanpolice.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
- ^ "Current Expenditure (2010-2011)". Government of Balochistan. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
- ^ "Rs 152 bn Balochistan Budget 2010-11 presented". Government of Balochistan. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
- ^ "Development project". Government of Balochistan. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Mansoor Akbar, Kundi (1993). Balochistan, a socio-cultural and political analysis. Qasim Printers. p. 26.
- ^ "History". Frontier Police. Retrieved 1 July 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Welome". police.kp.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ Musa Khan Jalalzai (1 October 2015). The Prospect of Nuclear Jihad in South Asia: Pakistan's Army, Extra-judicial Killings, and the Forceful Disappearance of Pashtuns and Balochs. Algora Publishing. pp. 215–. ISBN 978-1-62894-167-8.
- ^ "Khasadar force personnel's future uncertain after FATA-KP merger - Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ "Policing responsibility in the merged districts given to Levies and Khasadar forces". Samaa TV. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ "Special Protection Unit (SPU) - Punjab Police". punjabpolice.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
External links[]
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- Paramilitary forces of Pakistan
- Military of Pakistan