Civil Armed Forces

The Civil Armed Forces (CAF) are a group

of nine paramilitary, uniformed
organisations, separate and distinct from
the regular "military" Pakistan Armed
Forces. They are responsible for
maintaining internal security, helping law
enforcement agencies, border control,
counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism,
riot control, and anti-smuggling under the
Ministry of Interior. They 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.
 Civil Armed Forces

Service branches Punjab Rangers

Sindh Rangers
Frontier Corps
Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa
(North)
Frontier Corps
Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa
(South)
 Frontier Corps
Balochistan (North)
Frontier Corps
Balochistan (South)
Frontier
Constabulary
Pakistan Coast
Guards
Gilgit-Baltistan
Scouts

Headquarters Ministry of Interior,

Islamabad

Leadership
Commander-in-Chief President Arif Alvi

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Minister of Defence Khawaja Asif

Defence Secretary Hamood Uz Zaman

Chairman Joint General Sahir

Chiefs of Staff Shamshad Mirza

Personnel
Military age 16–23[1]

Active personnel 150,000 in Rangers

and Frontier
Corps;[2]
33,000 in Frontier
Constabulary (no
source yet).
4 battalions in
Pakistan Coast
Guards;[3]
 Expenditures
Budget Rs. 93,282,260,000[4]

Industry
Domestic suppliers List
Air Weapons
Complex
Heavy Industries
Taxila
Global Industrial
Defence Solutions
Defence Science
and Technology
Organization
Karachi Shipyard
and Engineering
Works
 Kahuta Research
Laboratories
NESCOM
National Defence
Complex
Pakistan
Aeronautical
Complex
Pakistan Ordnance
Factories
Metallurgical
Laboratory
Integrated
Dynamics

Related articles
History Military history of
Pakistan
Wars Involving
Pakistan

Ranks Army ranks and

insignia
Naval ranks and
insignia
Air Force ranks and
insignia

History
Some 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.

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.[5]

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,[6] and in
Punjab since February 2017.[7][8]
List of forces

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

There are a total of nine forces, although

some of them share names.[9] They can
also have their command transferred to
the Ministry of Defence, and effectively
combined to form a reserve force for the
Pakistani military during times of war.

Punjab Rangers
 Headquartered in Lahore.
Divided into five forces, each
composed of several battalion-
sized "wings" of approximately 800
men each.
This force has a border security role
on the Punjab provincial external
border with India. It also performs
internal security duties (counter-
insurgency, counter-gang, public
order, etc.) under the operational
control of Pakistan Army corps
commanders.[10]
Sindh Rangers
Headquartered in Karachi.
 Divided into seven forces, each
composed of several battalion-
sized "wings" of approximately 800
men each.
This force has a border security role
on the Sindh provincial external
border with India. It also performs
internal security duties (counter-
insurgency, counter-gang, public
order, etc.) under the operational
control of Pakistan Army corps
commanders.[10]
Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(North)
Formed in 2017 by the splitting of
Frontier Corps Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.
Headquartered in Peshawar.
Composed of eleven infantry and
one armoured regiments, each
formed from several battalion-sized
"wings".
Under the command of the Army's
XI Corps, the force has been in the
forefront of counter-insurgency
operations against the Tehrik-i-
Taliban Pakistan and foreign
militants since 2003.
Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(South)
Formed in 2017 by the splitting of
Frontier Corps Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.
Headquartered in Dera Ismail Khan.
Composed of ten infantry
regiments, each formed from
several battalion-sized "wings".
Under the command of the XI
Corps, the force has been in the
forefront of counter-insurgency
operations against the Tehrik-i-
Taliban Pakistan and foreign
militants since 2003.
Frontier Corps Balochistan (North)
Formed in 2017 by the splitting of
Frontier Corps Balochistan.
Headquartered in Quetta.
Composed of ten infantry
regiments, each formed from
several battalion-sized "wings".
Under the command of the XII
Corps, the force has been in the
forefront of counter-insurgency
operations against the Tehrik-i-
Taliban Pakistan and Baloch
separatists.
Frontier Corps Balochistan (South)
 Formed in 2017 by the splitting of
Frontier Corps Balochistan.
Headquartered in Turbat.
Composed of ten infantry
regiments, each formed from
several battalion-sized "wings".
Under the command of the XII
Corps, the force has been in the
forefront of counter-insurgency
operations against Baloch
separatists.
Frontier Constabulary
Formed in 1915.
Headquartered in Peshawar
Cantonment.
 This is a gendarmerie that operates
in the border districts of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, which were formerly
known as the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas; unlike
the Frontier Corps it is commanded
by officers from the Police Service
of Pakistan.
Pakistan Coast Guards
Formed in 1973.
Headquartered in Karachi.
The force should not be confused
with the Maritime Security Agency,
which is a coast guard in the
Pakistan Navy. This force is
 charged 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 a one-star rank
brigadier from the Pakistan Army.
Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
Formed in 2003 as a replacement
CAF after the previously
paramilitary Northern Light Infantry
was converted into a regular
infantry regiments of the Pakistan
Army in recognition of their
performance and heavy losses
during the Kargil War.
 Headquartered in Gilgit.
Composed of six battalion-sized
"wings".
Under the command of the Army's
Force Command Northern Areas,
the force has been involved in
providing security for infrastructure
projects in the China–Pakistan
Economic Corridor.
50 Aviation Squadron is the nucleus of
an air wing designed to provide
additional air support to CAFs.[11]
Ranks

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See also
Law enforcement in Pakistan
Pakistan Armed Forces
National Guard (Pakistan)
Pakistan Levies

References
1. "South Asia :: Pakistan — The World
Factbook" (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-f
actbook/countries/pakistan/) . un.org. CIA.
16 November 2021.
2. "Military and security service personnel
strengths" (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-f
actbook/field/military-and-security-service-
personnel-strengths) . CIA World Factbook.
Retrieved 10 December 2022.
3. "Pakistan Coast Guards (click on Menu)" (ht
tps://www.pakistancoastguards.gov.pk/) .
Pakistan Coast Guards. Retrieved
10 December 2022.
4. "Federal Budget 2020–2021: Details of
demands for grants and appropriations" (ht
tps://na.gov.pk/uploads/1591967197_724.
pdf) (PDF). National Assembly of Pakistan.
p. 2530. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
5. Uploader (15 August 2016). "NAP decision:
29 new wings of civil armed forces to be
raised" (https://www.app.com.pk/nap-decis
ion-29-new-wings-of-civil-armed-forces-to-b
e-raised/) . Archived (https://web.archive.o
rg/web/20170227062724/https://www.ap
p.com.pk/nap-decision-29-new-wings-of-ci
vil-armed-forces-to-be-raised/) from the
original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved
26 February 2017.
6. "COAS directs Karachi Corps to step up
rescue work" (https://www.thenews.com.p
k/print/705969-coas-directs-karachi-corps-
to-step-up-rescue-work) .
www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 31 March
2021.
7. "Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan: Between the
Kashmir conflict and China" (https://www.tr
tworld.com/magazine/pakistan-s-gilgit-balt
istan-between-the-kashmir-conflict-and-chi
na-40053) . Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan:
Between the Kashmir conflict and China.
Retrieved 31 March 2021.
8. "No link with recent GB, upcoming AJK
polls: ECP" (https://www.thenews.com.pk/
print/746969-no-link-with-recent-gb-upcomi
ng-ajk-polls-ecp) . www.thenews.com.pk.
Retrieved 31 March 2021.
9. "20 Months Achievements" (https://www.na
dra.gov.pk/20_Months_achievements_Broc
hure.pdf) (PDF). National Database and
Registration Authority. p. 3. Retrieved
10 December 2022.
10. "Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)" (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20100824203734/http://ww
w.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextCo
ntent.aspx?pId=141) . Archived from the
original (http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/A
WPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=141) on
24 August 2010. Retrieved 27 January
2010.
11. "20 Months Achievements" (https://www.na
dra.gov.pk/20_Months_achievements_Broc
hure.pdf) (PDF). National Database and
Registration Authority. p. 12-14. Retrieved
27 December 2022.

External links
CIA World Factbook 2005 (https://www.
cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/p
 akistan/)

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"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
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