| Pakistan Marines | |
|---|---|
| بحریہَ پاکستان | |
 Emblem of the Pakistan Marines | |
| Founded | 1 June 1971 (53 years, 11 months ago)[1] |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Branch |  Pakistan Navy |
| Type | Marines |
| Role | Amphibious warfare,Naval infantry |
| Size | 3,200 (est.)[2] |
| Part of | Pakistan Navy |
| Headquarters | Manora Fort,Pak Marines Base inKarachi Coast,Sindh,Pakistan |
| Nickname(s) | Pak Marines |
| Motto(s) | Arabic:وَ اعْتَصِمُوْا بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ جَمِیْعًا وَّ لَا تَفَرَّقُوْا۪Urdu:اور اللہ کی رسی مضبوط تھام لو سب مل کر اور آپس میں بٹ نہ جانا (فرقوں میں نہ بٹ جانا) "And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not be divided;" (Qur'an,3:103) |
| Colors | |
| Anniversaries | Navy Day: 6 September |
| Engagements | Major conflicts and wartime operations |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief |  PresidentAsif Ali Zardari |
| Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff |  GeneralSahir Shamshad MirzaNI(M) |
| Commandant | Rear Admiral Faisal AminHI(M) |
| Arm Badge | Marines |
| Flag |  |
ThePakistan Marines (Urdu:سمندری پاکستان or بحریہَ پاکستان)[3] or simply asPak Marines, is anexpeditionary andamphibious warfareuniform service branch within thePakistan Navy, consisting of the naval officers and other personnel to perform their duties within the Marines.[4] Pakistan Marines are responsible for providingforce protection in littorals, using the mobility of the Pakistan Navy to provide creeks defence, ground based air defence and Force protection.[5]
In the Pakistani military leadership structure, the Marines are the expeditionary and amphibious branch within the Navy, often working closely with thePakistan Army for training, executing expeditionary operations andlogistics purposes.[4]
Initially established andcommissioned on 1 June 1971 inEast-Pakistan, to assist Pakistan Army in riverine warfare. GHQ employed this infant force in successfully evacuating Pakistan Army units from encirclement by Indian Army. They were headquartered inPNS Bakhtiar andPNS Titumir to oversee the tactical riverine /waterborne operations. This small but valiant force soon started to make significant impact on retrograde waterborne operations of Pakistan and saved many lives. Post war scenario led to theirdecommissioning in 1974 due to no riverine area of operations left with Pakistan that time.[6]
On 25 November 1990, the Marines were re-organized and recommissioned underCdr. Obaidullah–since then they have been a component of the Navy, conducting expeditionary operations with the special forces ofarmy and thenavy.[6] The Marines are primarily tasked withquick response andmarine reconnaissance objectives to guard the coastal andamphibious regions of the country, and receives training at the School of Infantry and Tactics by the Pakistan Army's instructors.[4]
In 2010, Marines, in close co-ordination with the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force, were working around the clock to rescue villagers trapped by thecountry's worst deluge in 80 years.[7]
The Pakistan Marines traces their history back toEast Pakistan when the infantrybattalion, dedicated towards theamphibious operations with thePakistan Army, was commissioned in the Navy on 1 June 1971.: 76 [3] Initially, the Marines were modeled based on the BritishRoyal Marines and were aimed towards conducting independent expeditionary and amphibious operations in ageographical region that was essentially a dead-level plain, which made it difficult for the Pakistan Army to conduct mechanized operations, though an ideal theatre for amphibious ground forces.[8]
The Marines were initially tasked to counter theIndian Army inChittagong andKhulna with only fourpatrol boat and improvised importedamphibious vehicles.[8] Due to lack of training and vessels, misunderstanding of the amphibious terrains, operational capabilities, the Marines failed to produce any significant results to counter the insurgency that resulted in their decommissioning in 1974.[8]
Nonetheless, the Marines continued to exists in its rudimentary form until 1988 to meet the fundamental security requirements of Pakistan Navy offshore establishments in the country.[9] Following the introduction of theMistral weapon system in the Navy, the Marines were re-commissioned underCdr. Obaidulla (PN.Service number 1558) withManora Fort at the vicinity of thePNS Qasim serving its firstforward base on 14 April 1990.[9][1]
Per Navy's request, thePakistan Army undertook the training of the new Marines personnel at thePakistan Military Academy inKakul and later at the School of Infantry and Tactics inQuetta, aiming to raise an infantry unit to guard the offshore establishments of the Navy.: 159 [10]
Initially, the Marines objectives were toprovide security and cover to the offshore establishments of the Navy whileaiding thefederal government using the Navy's mobility.[9] Headquarters of the Marines was relocated from thePNS Himalaya (Navy's only boot camp) to theManora Fort in thePNS Qasim that was renamed as Marine Base Qasim in 1994.[9] The commissioning Marines consisted of eighty commissioned officers, sixty seven chief petty officers from general service and forty three Marines.[9] Its first battalion was activated in September 1971.[9]
As part of the first combat assignment, the Marines were deployed at the Sir Creek region during the last decade, threat on the South-Eastern border increased manifolds, warranting an immediate response.[11][12][13]
Estimating the type and quantum of threat, the Pakistan Navy proposed deployment of a sizable force in the Sir Creeks region. The then-Rear AdmiralShahid Karimullah vigorously pursued the case of an additional battalion and its phase-wise development plan. Since its inception, Creeks Battalion is deployed in its designated Area of Responsibility.[14]
On 28 March 2013,Pakistan Navy commissioned the third battalion of Pakistan Marines in order to further strengthen the defense of theGwadar Port and to enhance the security of vital Pakistan Navy assets and installations along the western coasts of Pakistan.[15]
Marine Training center is situated inGwadar,Balochistan. Before Gwadar it was situated inPNS QasimManora IslandKarachi but recently, shifted to Gwadar.
Marines Training Centre (MTC) conducts all levels of training for Marines. Additionally, it also conducts courses for the Pak Marines officers and allied countries. Marine Training Centre was established in 1990 inPNS Himalaya to impart Basic and Advance training to Pak Marines. Over a short period of time it has achieved excellence in imparting high standard of professional training to Marines. It is now fully capable of making a Marine proficient in Amphibious Warfare, Riverine Operations and Shore-based air Defence. Centre also conducts the basic and refresher training for PNP(Pakistan Naval Police).
MTC has achieved proficiency in imparting high standard of professional training. Consequently, it has been assigned the responsibility of conducting basic training of Pakistan Naval Police personnel as well. In pursuit of professional excellence, the Marines besides carrying out exercises and workups locally also participate in international exercises both inland and abroad
The headquarters of the marines were initially set up in theNaval Base Dacca inEast Pakistan in 1971 but relocated in the Karachi after thethird war withIndia.[10] In 1990, the Marines were organized inPNS Himalaya initially, but the organizational command was relocated inManora Fort located in thePNS Qasim that was renamed as Qasim Marine Base in 1995.: 50 [16][8][17] Generalmilitary administration and logistics for the Marines are operated from the Qasim Marine Base in Karachi.[18]
The Marines maintains and control the inter-servicesliaison communication between theArmy and the Marines from the Marine Base Qasim, overseeing the military training and instructions on the weapon system provided by the Army instructors and weapon system specialists.[19]
The Pakistan Marines operations are primarily controlled from theQasim Marine Base but are stationed inJoint Army-Marine Base Sir Creek,Army Base Ormara,Gwadar Marine Camp andMarine Base Punjab.[20][21] Since 1998, the Army helped Navy to raise six infantry battalions (approximately ~800 personnel),[9] commanded by an officer with rank ofCommander.[9]
| Battalions | Garrison/Headquarters | Area of responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Marines Battalion[9] | NHQ | Pakistan Naval Complex |
| 2nd Marines Battalion[22] | PNS Qasim | Karachi district |
| 3rd Marines Battalion[23] | PNS Akram | Port of Gwadar |
| Marines Amphibious Wing[24] | PNS Qasim | Karachi Coast |
| 1st Creek Battalion[25] | Sujawal District | Sir Creek /Keti Bandar /Shahbandar |
| 21st Air Defense Battalion[26] | Jinnah Naval Base /COMWEST | Gwadar District Coastal Areas |
| 23rd Air Defence Battalion[27] | Sujawal | Sir Creek / Kori |
%2c_along_with_Marines_from_Kuwait_and_Pakistan%2c_conduct_an_amphibious_assault_demonstration_during_Exercise_Bright_Star_2009.jpg)
TheCommander, Coastal Areas (COMCOAST), designated as the Chief of Staff Marines (CSM), is the highest-ranking officer in the Marines, usually at a rank ofthree-star, reporting directly to theChief of Naval Staff.: 73 [28]
The officer candidates are directed to attend thePakistan Naval Academy in Karachi in order to gain commissioned in the Marines, where the candidatespass out in courses relating the military history and training, training for the soldier recruits are conducted at thePNS Himalaya– the initial entry training center ("boot camp") of the Navy.[6] Following the award of their commissions, marines officers and personnel attend the Marine Training Center (MTC) located at thePNSQasim to learn infantry and combined arms warfare, usually instructed byPakistani Army specialists.[6] At the MTC, the Marines completes the Basic Marines Course that included the instructions on comprehensive physical training in unarmed combat, close-quarter battle, security duties,swimming, small-arms handling and infantry tactics.[29]
After passing the basic marine training course, the Marines are directed to attend the Pakistan Army'sSchool of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta where they are trained together with army personnel.[4] Since 1999, the Marines have been instructed to operate theMistralmissile system, ordnance, and special security courses to protect naval bases on coastal areas.[30][better source needed][4]
The Marines formations and personnel wears the camouflage uniforms when deployed to an operational environment but otherwise they wear Navydress uniforms in public and international ceremonies.[4]
The Marines are the branch within the Navy, therefore, using the same ranks and insignia as equivalent to the Pakistan Navy as contrary to theU.S. Marines in theUnited States and theRoyal Marines in theUnited Kingdom.: 76 [3]
| Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pakistan Marines |  |  |  | _OF-5.svg) | _OF-4.svg) | _OF-3.svg) | _OF-2.svg) | _OF-1b.svg) |  | |||||||||||||||
| Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Sub-lieutenant | Midshipman | ||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | Non commissioned officer | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Marines |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Master Chief Petty Officer | Fleet Chief Petty Officer | Chief Petty Officer | Petty Officer | Leading Seaman | Able Tech-I | Ordinary Tech-II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | Nishan-e-Haider(Order of the Lion) |
 | Hilal-e-Jurat(Crescent of Courage) |
 | Sitara-e-Jurat(Star of Courage) |
 | Tamgha-e-Jurat(Medal of Courage) |
 | Imtiazi Sanad(Mentioned in Despatches)[31] |
| Order of Wear | |||
|---|---|---|---|
(Order of the Lion) | .png) |  | (Crescent of Courage) |
 (Crescent of Bravery) | |  | (Star of Courage) |
(Star of Bravery) |  |  |  (Star of Good Conduct) |
 (Star of Sacrifice) | (Medal of Courage) | (Medal of Bravery) |  |
 (Medal of Good Conduct) |  (Medal of Sacrifice) | (Mentioned in Despatches) |  (General Service Medal) |
 (War Star 1965) |  (War Star 1971) | .png) (War Medal 1965) |  (War Medal 1971) |
.png) | .png) |  (Medal of Conviction) | .png) (Medal of Service Class I) |
.png) (Medal of Service Class I) | .png) (Medal of Service Class I) | .png) | .png) |
.png) | .png) | .png) |  |
 | .png) (Republic Commemoration Medal) |  (Hijri Medal) |  (Democracy Medal) |
 (Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) |  (Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) |  Command & Staff College Quetta Instructor's Medal |  Command & Staff College Quetta Student Medal |
%2c_along_with_Marines_from_Kuwait_and_Pakistan.jpg)
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