| Pakistan Maritime Security Agency پاکستان بحری سلامتی ایجنسی | |
|---|---|
 Pakistan Maritime Security Agency racing stripes | |
 Emblem of PMSA | |
| Abbreviation | PMSA |
| Motto | Indeed ALLAH is with us |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1 January 1987; 38 years ago (1987-01-01) |
| Employees | 2,000 active duty personnel[1] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Pakistan |
| Constituting instrument |
|
| Specialist jurisdiction |
|
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | HQs Pakistan Maritime Security Agency,Plot No 34-A, Dockyard Road,Karachi,Sindh,Pakistan |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent agency |  Pakistan Navy |
| Facilities | |
| Vessels | 23 vessels[3] |
| Aircraft | 3 aircraft[3] |
| Notables | |
| Significant Battle | |
| Anniversary |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
| Blue,Red andWhite | |
ThePakistan Maritime Security Agency (reporting name:PMSA) (Urdu: پاکستان بحری سلامتی ایجنسی) is a branch of thePakistan Navy.[4] It is a Navy-managed and Navy-controlledMarine law enforcement agency whose mission is to provide protection to Pakistan'smaritime interests and enforcement of maritime law with jurisdiction over the domestic and international waters of Pakistan including theexclusive economic zone.[4] Pakistan Maritime Security Agency is distinct fromPakistan Coast Guards, which is a security force under Pakistan Army.
Created on 1 January 1987 in compliance to theUN Convention on Law of the Sea of 1982, the PMSA functions as a federalregulatory agency under theMinistry of Defence (MoD) whose command level leadership and personnel comes directly from thePakistan Navy.: conts. [5][6] Apart from enforcing maritime law, the PMSA conduct to assists in military operations againsthuman trafficking,smuggling, and deep seasearch and rescue.: 112 [7][8][9]
The leadership of the agency comes from the external billets appointment approved by thePakistan Navy and its executive officer is designated as theDirector-General who usually at thetwo-star rank admiral a senior flag officer ofRear Admiral rank in the Navy.[10] The current director of the agency isRear Admiral Shahzad Iqbal who took the directorship of the agency in 2024.[11][9]
Since 2014, the mission objectives and area of responsibility of the PMSA has expanded substantially like to provide maritime protection to theChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor.[12]
The mission of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency states:
"To assert and enforce national jurisdiction and sovereignty in all Maritime zones of Pakistan and to protect Pakistan's Maritime interests"
— Pakistan Maritime Security Agency,[13]
_at_the_Karachi_dockyard%2c_circa_in_1999.jpg)
In 1971, theMinistry of Defence (MoD) had established thePakistan Coast Guard but the Coast Guards were under the command of thePakistan Army and were unable to perform the deep sea search and rescue operations or enforce maritime law to protect Pakistan's maritime interests.: 130–131 [7] The void had been filled by theIndian Navy and theIndian Coast Guard that had been very active in theIndian Ocean.: 131 [7] The Navy had to perform the coast guard duties apart from the combat service and had to deploy its assets to guard the maritime interests of the country.: 131 [7]
After theUnited Nations'Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed in 1982, theGovernment of Pakistan established the Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) after acquiring theExclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 240,000 square miles (620,000 km2).: 131 [7] The MoD established the Maritime Affairs Wing in 1986 to lay the framework of the agency as thePakistan Navy undertook the task by establishing the agency from its manpower and provided the leadership withRear-Admiral S.R. Hussain becoming its firstDirector-General on 1 August 1986.[15]
On 1 January 1987, the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) was established for law enforcement and protecting the maritime interests of the country, and a parliamentary act that was passed in 1994 to provide the legal jurisdiction to the agency to perform its operations and task.[2][16] In 1997, the MSA gained its constitutional mandate after ratification of theConvention on the Law of the Sea.[16]
The Maritime Security Agency conducts exercises with the other coast guards of the world. In May 2005, the PMSA agreed to establish liaison links with theIndian Coast Guard.
Pakistan Maritime Security Agency has roles in maritimehomeland security, national and internationalmaritime law enforcement (MLE),search and rescue (SAR), marine environmental protection (MEP), and the maintenance of intracoastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON).[17] The agency is mandate to protect the fishing vessels and crew against any threat within the Maritime Zones (MZ).[17]
The agency performs military operations authorized by theMinistry of Defence to protect the economic and maritime interests of Pakistan.[17] The agency also provides security and assists governmental agencies, international organizations and the Pakistan Navy in petroleum and other mineral exploration in Pakistan's naval zones.[17] The agency coordinates the oceanographic research and other scientific activities of theNavy Hydrographic Department.[17]
BARRACUDA series of exercises are undertaken by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency to counter marine pollution of Pakistani waters. The exercises involve multiple stakeholders includingPakistan Navy,Pakistan Air Force,Karachi Port Trust,Port Qasim Authority,Gwadar Port Authority and other stakeholders.[18]
BARRACUDA-XII was held from February 2-4 2024.[19] The exercise demonstrated preparedness around oil spill containment, counter-piracy, and search and rescue (SAR) operations. The exercise deployed air and sea assets of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Pakistan Navy, and Pakistan Airforce. Other national stakeholders including port authorities and oil companies were also involved. The exercise was witnessed by foreign observers including naval personnel from friendly countries.[20]
The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) is a branch within the Navy, and is headquartered near the vicinity of theKarachi Fish Harbour and theKSEW Ltd. inKarachi,Sindh,Pakistan.[21] Since it was established in 1987, the PMSA was headquartered in different hired commercial buildings, most notably, theKarachi Port Trust Building until the new headquarters were constructed and inaugurated on 15 January 2011.[21]
Leadership and the personnel are directly appointed from the Navy and the agency consists of aDirector-General and it is commanded by atwo-star rank, aRear Admiral seconded from Pakistan Navy. The headquarters of the agency and personnel are placed under the command of Commander of Coastal Areas (COMCOAST), who usually supervise the operations for the Ministry of Defence.[21]
The Maritime Security Agency is an agency within the Navy, therefore, it uses the same ranks and insignia as the Pakistan Navy as all of its members are active-duty personnel of the Navy.[7]: 131
| Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pakistan Maritime Security Agency[22] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Maritime Security Agency[22] |  |  |  |  |  | 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۔ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pakistan Maritime Security Agency operates several vessels built locally atKSEW Ltd. and inChina'sHuangpu and Xijiang shipyards. It also has some vessels transferred from theUnited States Coast Guard. PMSA currently operates three squadrons as listed below:
| Squadron | Callsign | Vessels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd Offshore Patrol Squadron | OSRON 22 | PMSSBarkat[23][3] PMSSVehdat[23][3] PMSSNusrat[23][3] PMSSRehmat[23][3] PMSSSabqat[24][3] PMSSRafaqat[25][24][3] | PMSSBarkat, PMSSVehdat, PMSSNusrat and PMSSRehmat were built inHuangpu Shipyard and commissioned between years 1988-1990.[23] PMSSSabqat and PMSSRafaqat were transferred byUnited States to Pakistan in 2016.[25][24] |
| 23rd Offshore Patrol Squadron | OSRON 23 | 9 ×Fast Response Boats[3] 2 × Zodiac Hurricane Boats[26] | Inducted into PMSA after transferred by theUnited States to Pakistan.[27][26] |
| 26th Offshore Patrol Squadron | OSRON 26 | PMSSKashmir[3] PMSSZhob[3] PMSSKolachi[3] PMSSDasht[3] PMSSHingol[3] PMSSBasol[3] | PMSSKashmir was laid on 16 August 2016 in Haungpu Shipyard and commissioned on 20 July 2018.[28][29] PMSSZhob was built inKarachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW) and commissioned on 9 August 2018.[30] PMSSKolachi was built locally by KS&EW with assistance from China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) as part of a technology transfer agreement.[31] PMSSDasht, PMSSHingol and PMSSBasol were constructed at Xijiang Shipyard and subsequently commissioned between years 2016-2017.[32][33][34] |
| — | — | PMSSNazim | Decommissioned as of 6 October 2010. TheNazim is an "on sea" headquarters and is now considered non-operational and hasn't been moved in years.[14] |
The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency operates one aircraft squadron known as Squadron 93 PMSA.[35] The squadron was inaugurated on 23 June 1988 with the induction of aFokker F27 Friendship an interim measure, for sea surveillance.[35] The aircraft was stationed atJinnah Terminal for the purpose of logistics support.[36] In 1993, the PMSA acquired theBritten-Norman Defender stationed atMehran Naval Air Station.[35]
| Squadron | Callsign | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93rd PMSA Squadron | — | 3 ×Britten-Norman Defender | Stationed inNaval Air Station Mehran |
PMSA currently operates from multiple bases namely:
| Africa | |
|---|---|
| Asia |
|
| Europe | |
| North America | |
| Oceania | |
| South America | |
| Leadership |
|  | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commands | |||||||||||||
| Administrative arms |
| ||||||||||||
| Affiliated organisations |
| ||||||||||||
| Education and Training |
| ||||||||||||
| Literature and culture |
| ||||||||||||
| Related | |||||||||||||
