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.
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.
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, and in Punjab since February 2017.
List of forces
There are a total of ten forces, although some of them share names. 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.
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.
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.