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Civil Armed Forces
Service branches	Pakistan Rangers Punjab Rangers Sindh Rangers Frontier Corps Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North) Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (South) Frontier Corps Balochistan (North) Frontier Corps Balochistan (South) Federal Constabulary Pakistan Coast Guards Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts
Headquarters	Ministry of Interior, Islamabad
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister	Shehbaz Sharif
Minister of Interior	Mohsin Raza Naqvi
Personnel
Active personnel	291,000[1]
Related articles
History	Military history of Pakistan Wars Involving Pakistan
Ranks	Army ranks and insignia Naval ranks and insignia Air Force ranks and insignia

TheCivil Armed Forces (CAF)^[2] are a group of nineparamilitary andgendarmerie organisations, separate and distinct from the regularPakistan Armed Forces. They are responsible for maintaining internal security, helpinglaw enforcement agencies,border control,counter-insurgency andcounter-terrorism,riot control, andanti-smuggling under theMinistry of Interior. They frequently operate alongside the Pakistani military in response tonatural disasters. During times of war they can have their command transferred to theMinistry of Defence, and effectively combined to form areserve force for the Pakistani military.

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, with 57 additional wings approved for raising in 2015–16 to address internal and border security challenges and to provide protection for theChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This expansion is coordinated by a new two-star command established in September 2016, theSpecial Security Division.^[3]

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 only in wartime but also whenever Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan is invoked to provide “military aid to civil power”, as in Karachi since 2015^[4] and in Punjab since February 2017.^[5][6]

• Punjab Rangers
  • Headquartered inLahore.
  • Divided into five commands, each composed of severalbattalion-sized "wings" of approximately 800 men each.
  • This force has a border security role on the Punjabprovincial 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.^[7]

• Sindh Rangers
  • Headquartered inKarachi.
  • Divided into seven commands, each composed of several battalion-sized "wings" of approximately 800 men each.
  • This force has a border security role on the Sindhprovincial 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.^[7]

• Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North)
  • Formed in 2017 by the splitting of Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • Headquartered inPeshawar.
  • Composed of eleven infantry and one armoured regiments, each formed from severalbattalion-sized "wings".
  • Under the command of the Army'sXI Corps, the force has been in the forefront of counter-insurgency operations against theTehrik-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 inDera Ismail Khan.
  • Composed of ten infantry regiments, each formed from severalbattalion-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 inQuetta.
  • Composed of ten infantry regiments, each formed from severalbattalion-sized "wings".
  • Under the command of theXII Corps, the force has been in the forefront of counter-insurgency operations against the Pakistani Taliban, Baloch separatists, and the Islamic State's Khorasan branch.

• Frontier Corps Balochistan (South)
  • Formed in 2017 by the splitting of Frontier Corps Balochistan.
  • Headquartered inTurbat.
  • Composed of ten infantry regiments, each formed from severalbattalion-sized "wings".
  • Under the command of the XII Corps, the force has been in the forefront of counter-insurgency operations against Baloch separatists, Baloch Islamist-Jihadists, and the Islamic State's Pakistan branch.

• Federal Constabulary
  • Formed in 1915 as the Frontier Constabulary before being renamed in 2024.
  • Headquartered inIslamabad (moved fromPeshawar Cantonment).
  • This is agendarmerie that operates all over Pakistan. It used to operate in the border districts ofBalochistan and border/tribal districtsKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were formerly known as theFederally Administered Tribal Areas, and was also used in Karachi to fight crime.
  • Unlike the Frontier Corps, it's commanded by officers from thePolice Service of Pakistan.

• Pakistan Coast Guards
  • Formed in 1973.
  • Headquartered in Karachi.
  • The force should not be confused with theMaritime Security Agency, which is acoast guard in thePakistan 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 combating smuggling. It is commanded by a two-star rank Major-General from the Pakistan Army.
• Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
  • Formed in 2003 as a replacement CAF after the previously paramilitaryNorthern Light Infantry was converted into a regular infantry regiments of thePakistan Army in recognition of their performance and heavy losses during theKargil War.
  • Headquartered inGilgit.
  • Composed of six battalion-sized "wings".
  • Under the command of the Army'sForce Command Northern Areas, the force has been involved in providing security for infrastructure projects in theChina–Pakistan Economic Corridor.

• Pakistan Maritime Security Agency
  • Created in 1987
  • Headquartered in Karachi
  • Consisted of 2000 active duty personnel
  • Enforces maritime laws over the domestic and international waters of Pakistan includingexclusive economic zone.
• Airports Security Force
  • Formed in 1976
  • Headquartered in Karachi
  • The ASF is an 8,945-personnel organisation.
  • The ASF is a federalairport security force agency under the administrative control of theSecretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation which is responsible for protecting the airports, facilities and the planes (on-ground or in-air) in Pakistan.
• Anti Narcotics Force
  • Formed in 1995
  • Headquartered in Rawalpindi
  • Tasked with combating the narcotics smuggling and use within Pakistan
• Defence Security Force
  • Formed in 1947
  • Headquartered in Rawalpindi
  • Tasked with the protection and security of military installations, air bases, depots, arsenals, and headquarters across the country. Also serves as the paramilitary element of the Pakistan Air Force Police (AFP).

• 50 Aviation Squadron of theMinistry of Interior is the nucleus of an air wing designed to provide additional air support to CAFs, including in disaster relief and medical evacuations.^[8]

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Pakistan Rangers v t e
							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 EntrySub inspector ڈائریکٹ انٹری سب انسپکٹر۔
Pakistan Federal Constabulary[9] v t e
					Commandant Federal Constabulary کمانڈنٹ				Deputy commandant ڈپٹی کمانڈنٹ۔				District officer ضلعی افسر۔				Assistant district officer اسسٹنٹ ڈسٹرکٹ آفیسر۔
Pakistan Frontier Corps v t e
							Commandant کمانڈنٹ		Deputy commandant ڈپٹی کمانڈنٹ۔				Senior superintendent سینئر سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔				Superintendent سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔		Assistant district officer اسسٹنٹ ڈسٹرکٹ آفیسر۔
Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts v t e
									Brigadier بریگیڈیئر		Colonel کرنل		Lieutenant colonel لیفٹیننٹ کرنل		Major میجر		Captain کیپٹن		Lieutenant لیفٹنینٹ			Second lieutenant سیکنڈ لیفٹیننٹ
Pakistan Coast Guards v t e
							Major general میجر جنرل		Brigadier بریگیڈیئر		Colonel کرنل		Lieutenant colonel لیفٹیننٹ کرنل		Major میجر		Captain کیپٹن		Lieutenant لیفٹنینٹ			Second lieutenant سیکنڈ لیفٹیننٹ
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers										Non commissioned officer												Enlisted
Pakistan Rangers v t e																													No insignia
	Senior inspector سینئر انسپکٹر۔						Inspector انسپکٹر		Sub inspector سب انسپکٹر۔		Havildar حوالدار۔												Naik نائیک۔				Lance Naik لانس نائیک۔		Sepoy سپاہی۔
Pakistan Federal Constabulary[10] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar-Major صوبیدار میجر						Subedar صوبیدار		Naib Subedar نائب صوبیدار		Havildar حوالدار۔												Naik نائیک۔				Lance Naik لانس نائیک۔		Constable کانسٹیبل
Pakistan Frontier Corps v t e																													No insignia
							Subedar صوبیدار		Naib subedar نائب صوبیدار	Head constable ہیڈ کانسٹیبل۔	Havildar حوالدار												Naik نائیک				Lance naik لانس نائیک		Sepoy سپاہی
Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts v t e																													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 v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar-Major صوبیدار میجر						Subedar صوبیدار		Naib Subedar نائب صوبیدار		Havildar حوالدار۔												Naik نائیک۔				Lance Naik لانس نائیک۔		Sepoy سپاہی۔
Rank group	Junior commissioned officers										Non commissioned officer												Enlisted

• Law enforcement in Pakistan
• Pakistan Armed Forces
• National Guard (Pakistan)
• Pakistan Levies

• CIA World Factbook 2005

• Civil Armed Forces
• Military of Pakistan
• Reserve forces

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