Paramilitary forces of Pakistan

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Paramilitary forces of Pakistan
نظامیانِ نیم عسکری پاکستان
State emblem of Pakistan.svg
Founded14 August 1947; 76 years ago (1947-08-14)
Service branches
HeadquartersIslamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Gilgit

The paramilitary forces of Pakistan (Urdu: نظامیانِ نیم عسکری پاکستان) consist of various uniformed organizations that are sanctioned by the Pakistani constitution as well as by the Pakistani government. They are separate from the Pakistan Armed Forces and are responsible for maintaining internal security, helping local law enforcement agencies, and carrying out a variety of tasks such as border control, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, riot control, and anti-smuggling under the Ministry of Interior. Pakistani paramilitary forces frequently operate alongside the Pakistani military in response to natural disasters. They come under the direct command of the Ministry of Defence and the Pakistani military during wartime.[1][2][3]

List of paramilitary forces

File:Frontier corps 006.jpg
Colonel Masud, Commandant of the Frontier Corps' Pishin Scouts (right), presents U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrator Karen P. Tandy (left) with his unit ballcap in Chaman, Balochistan, Pakistan, September 2007

As of 2021 the strength of Pakistan's federal paramilitaries is approximately 500,000 personnel,[4] which are divided into two main categories:

Some federal paramilitaries under the Interior Ministry can also have their command superseded by the Defence Ministry, effectively combined to form a reserve force for the Pakistani military during times of war.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 4000[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

150,000[6]
Frontier Corps Ministry of Interior

Ministry of Defence

Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Quetta, Balochistan

100,000[citation needed]
Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts Ministry of Interior

Ministry of Defence

Gilgit, Gilgit−Baltistan 25,000[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.
  • 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.
  • Frontier Constabulary: The Frontier Constabulary operates within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is responsible for border protection with the former FATA region; unlike the Frontier Corps it is commanded by police officers.

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 Semi Activated Mujahid Battalion, and are charged with air defence. Also included the dissolved National Cadet Corps and Women's Guard.
  • Maritime Security Agency: The 4000-strong Maritime Security Agency, headquartered in Karachi, is a coast guard and is responsible for patrolling Pakistan's territorial waters as well as the EEZ. 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.

Bases in Karachi,Gawadar,Pasni and Keti bandar

  • 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, Azad Kashmir Regiment and Mujahid Regiment were once considered paramilitary forces until their promotion into the Pakistan Army in 1999 and 2019. [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]
  • Khasadar: (Disbanded)
  • Pakistan Levies: (semi-disbanded)
  • Federal Security Force: FSF (Disbanded)

Ranks and insignia

Rank group General/flag officers Field/senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Pakistan Rangers
 OF-7 Pakistan Army.svg OF-4 Pakistan Army.svg OF-3 Pakistan Army.svg OF-2 Pakistan Army.svg OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg OF-1(A) Pakistan Army.svg
Director general
ڈائریکٹر جنرل 		Senior superintendent
of the Rangers
سینئر سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔ 		Superintendent
of the Rangers
سپرنٹنڈنٹ 		Deputy superintendent
of the Rangers
ڈپٹی سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔ 		Inspector
انسپکٹر 		Direct Entry Sub inspector
ڈائریکٹ انٹری سب انسپکٹر۔


Pakistan
Frontier Constabulary
 OF-8 PakistanArmy.svg OF-6 Pakistan Army.svg OF-4 Pakistan Army.svg OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg
Commandant
کمانڈنٹ 		Deputy commandant
ڈپٹی کمانڈنٹ۔ 		District officer
ضلعی افسر۔ 		Assistant district officer
اسسٹنٹ ڈسٹرکٹ آفیسر۔


Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts
 Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-6.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-5.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-4.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-3.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-2.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-1b.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OF-1a.svg
Brigadier
بریگیڈیئر 		Colonel
کرنل 		Lieutenant colonel
لیفٹیننٹ کرنل 		Major
میجر 		Captain
کیپٹن 		Lieutenant
لیفٹنینٹ 		Second lieutenant
سیکنڈ لیفٹیننٹ


Pakistan Coast Guards
 OF-7 Pakistan Army.svg OF-6 Pakistan Army.svg OF-5 Pakistan Army.svg OF-4 Pakistan Army.svg OF-3 Pakistan Army.svg OF-2 Pakistan Army.svg OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg OF-1(A) Pakistan Army.svg
Major general
میجر جنرل 		Brigadier
بریگیڈیئر 		Colonel
کرنل 		Lieutenant colonel
لیفٹیننٹ کرنل 		Major
میجر 		Captain
کیپٹن 		Lieutenant
لیفٹنینٹ 		Second lieutenant
سیکنڈ لیفٹیننٹ


Pakistan Maritime
Security Agency
 Pakistan-Navy-OF-7-collected.svg Pakistan-Navy-OF-6-collected.svg Generic-Navy-8.svg Generic-Navy-6.svg Generic-Navy-5.svg Generic-Navy-4.svg Generic-Navy-2.svg 07.RNO-MIDN.svg
Rear admiral
بحریہ کا امیر 		Commodore
کموڈور 		Captain
کپتان 		Commander
کمانڈر 		Lieutenant commander
لیفٹیننٹ کمانڈر 		Lieutenant
لیفٹیننٹ 		Sub-lieutenant
سب لیفٹیننٹ۔ 		Midshipman
مڈ شپ مین


Rank group General/flag officers Field/senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Rank group Junior commissioned officers Non commissioned officer Enlisted
Pakistan Rangers
 10.Pakistan Army-SMCWO.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg 03.Pakistan Army-SGT.svg 02.Pakistan Army-CPL.svg 01.Pakistan Army-PFC.svg No insignia
Senior inspector
سینئر انسپکٹر۔ 		Inspector
انسپکٹر 		Sub inspector
سب انسپکٹر۔ 		Havildar
حوالدار۔ 		Naik
نائیک۔ 		Lance Naik
لانس نائیک۔ 		Sepoy
سپاہی۔


Pakistan
Frontier Constabulary
 Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg No insignia
Inspector
انسپکٹر 		Sub inspector
سب انسپکٹر۔ 		Assistant sub inspector
اسسٹنٹ سب انسپکٹر۔ 		Head Constable
ہیڈ کانسٹیبل۔ 		Constable
کانسٹیبل


Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts
 Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OR-6.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OR-4.svg Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts OR-3.svg No insignia
Subedar-Major
صوبیدار میجر 		Subedar
صوبیدار 		Naib Subedar
نائب صوبیدار 		Havildar
حوالدار۔ 		Naik
نائیک۔ 		Lance Naik
لانس نائیک۔ 		Sepoy
سپاہی۔


Pakistan Coast Guards
 10.Pakistan Army-SMCWO.svg 09.Pakistan Army-MCWO.svg 08.Pakistan Army-CWO.svg 03.Pakistan Army-SGT.svg 02.Pakistan Army-CPL.svg 01.Pakistan Army-PFC.svg No insignia
Subedar-Major
صوبیدار میجر 		Subedar
صوبیدار 		Naib Subedar
نائب صوبیدار 		Havildar
حوالدار۔ 		Naik
نائیک۔ 		Lance Naik
لانس نائیک۔ 		Sepoy
سپاہی۔


Pakistan Maritime
Security Agency
 10 Pakistan Navy.svg 9 Pakistan Navy.svg 7 Pakistan Navy.svg 6 Pakistan Navy.svg British Royal Navy OR-4.svg No insignia
Master Chief Petty Officer
ماسٹر چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ 		Fleet Chief Petty Officer
فلیٹ چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ 		Chief Petty Officer
چیف پیٹی آفیسر۔ 		Petty Officer
چھوٹا افسر۔ 		Leading Seaman
معروف سی مین۔ 		Able Tech-I
قابل ٹیک- I۔ 		Ordinary Tech-II
عام ٹیک II۔
Rank group Junior commissioned officers Non commissioned officer Enlisted

See also

References

  1. ^ "COAS directs Karachi Corps to step up rescue work". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan: Between the Kashmir conflict and China". Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan: Between the Kashmir conflict and China. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  3. ^ "No link with recent GB, upcoming AJK polls: ECP". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Paramilitary Force Strength by Country (2021)". Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Pakistan Intelligence, security Activities and Operations Handbook, Int'l Business Publications, 2011 Edition, pp. 131, ISBN 0-7397-1194-6
  6. ^ The International Institute of Strategic Studies (14 February 2017). The Military Balance 2017. Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated. ISBN 9781857439007.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)". Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  9. ^ https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 Archived 25 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI)
  10. ^ "1st Northern Light Infantry Regiment (Victors)". Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  11. ^ http://www.gilgitbaltistanscouts.gov.pk/gbs%20history.htm Archived 4 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine History of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
  12. ^ Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 255, ISBN 978-1-84904-342-7
  13. ^ "Azad Kashmir Regiment". 22 March 2016. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Videos - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.

External links

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