The Pakistan Armed Forces (Urdu: پاکستان مسلح افواج, romanized: Pākistān Musāllah Afwāj; pronounced [ˈpaːkɪstaːn mʊsaːləɦ əfwaːdʒ]) are the combined military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's sixth-largest military measured by active military personnel and consist of three formally uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are backed by various constitutionally−sanctioned paramilitary forces.[8] According to Global Firepower, the Pakistan Armed Forces are ranked as the 10th most powerful military in the world.[9][10][11] A critical component to the armed forces' structure is the Strategic Plans Division Force, which is responsible for the maintenance and safeguarding of Pakistan's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile and assets.[12] The chain of command of the Pakistan Armed Forces is organized under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) alongside the respective Chiefs of staffs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.[12] All branches are systemically coordinated during joint operations and missions under the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ).[12]
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Since the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Agreement, the Pakistani military has had close relations with China, working jointly to develop the JF-17, the K-8, and various weapons systems. As of 2013, China was the second-largest foreign supplier of military equipment to Pakistan behind the United States.[13] Both nations also cooperate on the development of their nuclear and space technology programs.[14][15][16] The Chinese People's Liberation Army and Pakistan Armed Forces maintain a regular schedule for joint military exercises.[17] Alongside this, the Pakistani military also maintains close relations with the United States, which gave Pakistan major non-NATO ally status in 2004. As such, Pakistan procures the bulk of its military equipment from China, the United States and its own domestic suppliers.[13]
The Pakistan Armed Forces were formed in 1947, when Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire.[18] Since then, they have played a decisive role in the modern history of Pakistan, most notably due to fighting major wars with India in 1947–1948, 1965 and 1971. The armed forces have seized control of the government on several occasions, consequently forming what analysts refer to as a deep state referred to as "The Establishment".[18] The need for border management led to the creation of paramilitary forces to deal with civil unrest in the North-West, as well as the security of border areas in Punjab and Sindh by paramilitary troops. In 2017, the Pakistan Armed Forces had approximately 654,000 active personnel, excluding 25,000–35,000+ personnel in the Strategic Plans Division Forces and 482,000 active personnel in the various paramilitary forces.[19] The military has traditionally had a large pool of volunteers, and therefore conscription has never been brought into effect, although both the Constitution of Pakistan and supplementary legislation allow for conscription in a state of war.[20]
Accounting for 18.3% of national government expenditure in 2021, after interest payments, Pakistan's military absorbs a large part of the country's annual budget.[21] The armed forces are generally highly approved of in Pakistani society.[22] Since the founding of Pakistan, the military has played a key role in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood and providing a bastion of selfless service.[23] As of April 2021, Pakistan was the sixth-largest contributor to United Nations peacekeeping efforts, with 4,516 personnel deployed overseas.[24] Other foreign deployments have consisted of Pakistani military personnel serving as military advisers in various African and Arab countries. The Pakistani military has maintained combat divisions and brigade-strength presences in some Arab states during the Arab–Israeli Wars, aided American-led coalition forces in the first Gulf War against Iraq, and actively taken part in the Somali and Bosnian conflicts.
History
The Pakistani military traces its roots directly back to the British Indian Army, in which many British Indian Muslims served during World War I and World War II, prior to the Partition of India in 1947.[25] Upon Partition, military formations with a Muslim-majority (such as the Indian Army's infantry Muslim regiments) were transferred to the new Dominion of Pakistan,[25] while on an individual basis, Indian Muslims could choose to transfer their allegiance and service to the Pakistan Armed Forces (consisting of the Pakistan Army, Royal Pakistan Navy and Royal Pakistan Air Force) or remain serving in the Indian Armed Forces of the Dominion of India. Significant figures who opted for the former included Ayub Khan (British Indian Army), Haji Mohammad Siddiq Choudri (Royal Indian Navy) and Asghar Khan (Royal Indian Air Force).[25] Many of the senior officers who would form the Pakistan Armed Forces had fought with British forces in World War II, thus providing the newly-created country with the professionalism, experience and leadership it would need in its future wars against neighbouring India.[26] In a formula arranged by the British, military resources were to be divided between India and Pakistan in a ratio of 64% going to India and 36% going to Pakistan.[27]
The Pakistani military largely retained British military traditions and doctrine until 1956, when the United States dispatched a specialized Military Assistance Advisory Group to Pakistan to build its military; from this point onward, American military tradition and doctrine became more dominant within Pakistan's armed forces.[28] In March 1956, the order of precedence of the Pakistani military's three formal services changed from "Navy-Army-Air Force" to "Army-Navy-Air Force".[citation needed]
Between 1947 and 1971, Pakistan fought three direct conventional wars against India, with the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 witnessing the secession of East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh.[29] Rising tensions with Afghanistan in the 1960s (primarily over the Durand Line dispute) and an indirect proxy war fought against the Soviet Union throughout the 1970s and 1980s in the Soviet–Afghan War with American, British and Israeli assistance led to a sharp rise in the development of the Pakistan Armed Forces.[30][31][32][33] In 1999, an extended period of intense border-skirmishing with India, the so-called Kargil War, resulted in a massive redeployment of forces in Kashmir.[34] As of 2014, the military has been conducting counter-insurgency operations along the border areas of Afghanistan, while continuing to participate in several United Nations peacekeeping operations.[35][36]
Since 1957, the armed forces have taken control from the civilian government in various military coups—ostensibly to restore order in the country, citing corruption and gross inefficiency on the part of the civilian leadership. While many Pakistanis have supported these seizures of power,[37] others have claimed that the rampant political instability, lawlessness and corruption in Pakistan are the direct consequence of consistent military rule.[38][39][40] The budget allocation for the Pakistan Armed Forces at over 20% of the annual budget of Pakistan. Elected officials and the lawmakers have been forced to come under military rule for over 30 years of Pakistan's existence.[41]
Current deployments
Within Pakistan
It is estimated that approximately 60–70% of Pakistan's military personnel are deployed along the Indo-Pakistani border.[42] In the aftermath of the United States invasion of Afghanistan, more than 150,000 personnel were shifted towards the Tribal Areas adjacent to Afghanistan.[43] Since 2004, Pakistan's military forces have been engaged in military efforts against al-Qaeda extremists.
In comparison with multinational and US forces, Pakistan's military has suffered the highest number of casualties in the war on terror, both in confrontations with al-Qaeda and during border skirmishes with the United States. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the subsequent standoff with India, several combat divisions were redeployed to Eastern and Southern Pakistan.
In addition to its military deployments, the armed forces also assist the government in responding to natural disasters such as the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the nationwide floods of 2010.
Overseas
A large number of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel are deployed overseas as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping missions. As of May 2019, 5,083 personnel were serving abroad, making Pakistan the sixth-largest contributor of personnel to UN peacekeeping missions.[24]
Organization and Command Structure
Leadership of the Pakistan Armed Forces is provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), which controls the military from the Joint staff Headquarters (JS HQ), adjacent to the Air HQ, Navy HQ, and Army General HQ (GHQ) in the vicinity of the Rawalpindi Military District, Punjab.[18] The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the Chairman Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff.[18]
At the JS HQ, it forms with the office of the Engineer-in-Chief, Navy Hydrographer, Surgeon-General of each inter-service, director of JS HQ, and Director-Generals (DGs) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the Strategic Plans Division Force (SPD Force).[44][clarification needed]
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC)
Following military failures in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and Bangladesh Liberation War, federal studies on civil–military relations were held by a commission led by Hamoodur Rahman, Chief Justice of Pakistan.[12][44] Recommendations of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission helped establish the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee to co-ordinate all military work and oversee joint missions and their execution during operations.[44][45]
The chairmanship of the JCSC rotates among the three main service branches, with appointment by the prime minister confirmed by the president.[44] The chairman outranks all other four-star officers; however, he does not have operational command authority over the armed forces.[46] In his capacity as chief military adviser, he assists the prime minister and the minister of defence in exercising their command functions.[46]
Technically, the JCSC is the highest military body; and its chairman serves as the principal staff officer (PSO) to the civilian prime minister, Cabinet, National Security Council (its adviser), and president.[44] The JCSC deals with joint military planning, joint training, integrated joint logistics, and provides strategic directions for the armed forces; it periodically reviews the role, size, and condition of the three main service branches; and it advises the civilian government on strategic communications, industrial mobilisations plans, and formulating defence plans.[44] In many ways, the JCSC provides an important link to understand, maintain balance, and resolve conflicts between military and political circles.[44] In times of peace, the JCSC's principle functions are to conduct planning of civil–military input; in times of war, the chairman acts as principal military adviser to the prime minister in the supervision and conduct of joint warfare.[46]
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
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Personnel
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Troop strength
As of 2021, estimations by national and international bodies were that approximately 651,800 people[47] were on active duty in the three main service branches, with an additional 291,000 serving in paramilitary forces[47] and 550,000 in reserve.[48] It is an all-volunteer military, but conscription can be enacted at the request of the president with the approval of the parliament of Pakistan.[49] The military is the sixth largest in the world and has troops deployed around the globe in military assistance and peacekeeping operations.[48]
Pakistan is the only predominantly Muslim country in which women serve as high-ranking officers and in combat roles, and a sizeable unit of female army and air force personnel has been actively involved in military operations against Taliban forces.[50][51][52][53][circular reference]
Members of the Pakistani military hold a rank, either that of officer or enlisted, and can be promoted.[54]
The following table summarises current Pakistani military staffing:
Uniforms
From 1947 to the early 2000s, Pakistan's military uniforms closely resembled those of their counterparts in the British armed services.[58] The Army uniform consisted of plain yellowish khaki, which was the standard issue as both the combat uniform (ACU) and the service uniform (ASU).[citation needed] The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) uniform was primarily based on the Royal Air Force uniform, with bluish-grey as its reporting colour markings.[58] The Navy uniform was likewise based on the Royal Navy uniform, with predominant colours of navy blue and white.[citation needed]
In 2003, the service uniforms for each major service branch were revised and orders were made to issue new uniforms roughly based on the American military.[citation needed] With Marines reestablished in 2004, the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) uniforms are now worn by each service in respect to their colours; the flag of Pakistan patch worn on the shoulder became compulsory.[59]
In the military, the service dress, however, remains yellowish khaki for the Army; plain white service dress for the Navy (excluding the Marines).[60] The Air Force abandoned its rank and uniform structure in 2006, and introduced its own uniform insignia which closely resembled that of the Turkish Army.[60]
The Army's standard UCP is based on a pixelated version of the region's arid desert patterns.[60] The army's UCP varies depending on the type of missions and deployment it is being used for.[60] The Navy's UCP is based on a design that incorporates sparse black and medium grey shapes on a light grey background.[60] The Marines have a woodland pattern featuring light brown, olive green and dark blue shapes on a tan or light olive background.[60] Slight colour variations have been noted. Other than a greenish flight suit and a standard service dress, the Air Forces's Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) camouflage features a variation of the six-colour desert pattern.[60] In each service's UCP, the name of the service branch, rank, and gallantry badges are worn on the chest; insignia are worn on the shoulders with the compulsory flag-of-Pakistan patch.[59]
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Rank and insignia structure
As Pakistan became independent, the British military ranks and insignia were immediately commissioned by the armed forces as part of a legacy of British colonialism.[61] Within a few months of its founding in 1947, the military had inherited all professional qualifications of the British military in India.[54][62]
In respect to the British Indian military, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) authorised the three junior commissioned officer (JCO) pay grades between the enlisted ranks and commissioned officers.[63] The JCO grades are equivalent to the civil bureaucracy's pay scales for those who rise by promotion from among enlisted recruits. The JCO grades in the Pakistani military are a continuation of the former Viceroy of India's commissioned pay grades during the British colonial period.[64] Promotion to the JCO, however, remains a lucrative and powerful incentive for the enlisted military personnel; thus, if JCO ranks are ever phased out, it will probably be a slow process.[64]
Gallantry awards
- Nishan-e-Haider (English: Sign of the Lion) is the highest military decoration of Pakistan. It is awarded "to those who have performed acts of greatest heroism or most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger and have shown bravery of the highest order or devotion to the country, in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air." As of 2013, this award has been given to ten Pakistani servicemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.[65][66]
- Hilal-e-Jurat (English: Crescent of Courage) is the second-highest military decoration of Pakistan, and the highest to be given to a living Pakistani (the Nishan-i-Haider has only been awarded posthumously.) The award is conferrable on officers of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, for acts of valour, courage, or devotion to duty, performed on land, at sea, or in the air in the face of the enemy. Recipients have often received land and pensions, and could place the honorific "HJ" after their name.
- Sitara-e-Jurat (English: Star of Courage) is the third-highest military decoration of Pakistan, awarded for gallantry or distinguished service in combat, and can be bestowed upon officers, JCOs, and warrant officers of the Armed Forces including paramilitary forces under federal control. Recipients can place the honorific "SJ" after their name.
- Tamgha-e-Jurat (English: Medal of Courage) is the fourth-highest military decoration of Pakistan, awarded for gallantry or distinguished service in combat. This is essentially the NCO and enlisted version of the Sitara-i-Jurat. Recipients can place the honorific "TJ" after their name.
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