Military of Pakistan

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Military of Pakistan

Military manpower

Military age

16 years of age

Availability

39,028,014 (2005)

Males ages

16-49

Reaching military age

males: 1,969,055 (2005)

Active troops

620,000 (Ranked 7th)

Military expenditures

Dollar figure

$3.848 billion (2004)

Percent of GDP

4.9% (2004)

Pakistan Armed Forces

Personnel

Military history

Military history of Pakistan

Wars of Pakistan

Battles of Pakistan

[edit] History

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Main article: Military history of Pakistan

Before 1947, the Military of Pakistan was part of the Army of India, as the armed force was known as under the British Raj, fought in both the World Wars and the numerous Anglo-Afghan Wars. After Independence, the military was divided between India and Pakistan with a ratio of 64% going to India and 36% for Pakistan. Post-independence, it has fought three wars against India, several border skrimmishes with Afghanistan, and an extended border skirmish with India in 1999 and is currently conducting anti-terrorist operations along the border areas of Afghanistan. The Military of Pakistan has participated in several United Nations peacekeeping operations and is presently one of the largest troops contributor to the UN force.

[edit] Organization and Command Structure

Main article: Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee deals with all problems bearing on the military aspects of state security and is charged with integrating and coordinating the three services. In peacetime, its principal function is planning; in time of war, its chairman is the principal staff officer to the president in the supervision and conduct of the war. The secretariat of the committee serves as the principal link between the service headquarters and the Ministry of Defense in addition to coordinating matters between the services. The three branches within the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee deal with planning, training, and logistics. Affiliated with the committee are the offices of the engineer in chief, the director general of medical service, the director of inter-services intelligence, and the director of inter-services public relations.

[edit] Joint Chiefs of Staff

The 3 Service Chiefs together with the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff form the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Ehsan ul Haq — Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Pervez Musharraf — Chief of Army Staff
Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir — Chief of Naval Staff
Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed — Chief of Air Staff

[edit] Structure of the Pakistan Army

[edit] Structure of the Pakistan Navy

[edit] Structure of the Pakistan Air Force

[edit] Personnel

Pakistan's SSG Commandos on the March 23rd Military Parade in Islamabad

[edit] Recruitment and Training

[edit] Personnel in each service

Service	Total Active Duty Personnel	Total Reserve Personnel
Army	550,000	513,000
Navy	24,000	5,000
Air Force	45,000	10,000
Paramilitary Forces	302,000	0
Coast Guard	Classified	Classified
Total	921,000	528,000

[edit] Uniforms

The standard uniform for the Pakistan Army is a mixture of a Greenish-Brown colored overalls but this has been recently transitioned to a camouflage pattern uniform which is standard for other armies of the world. The colors of the new camouflage pattern uniform depend on which geographical areas the troops operate so that they can blend in with the environment.

[edit] Rank Structure

The rank structure is also patterned on the British model. Following the British Indian tradition, there are three junior commissioned officer (JCO) grades between enlisted and officer rank for those who rise by promotion from among enlisted recruits. The junior commissioned officer is a continuation of the former viceroy's commissioned officer rank during the British colonial period. Promotion to JCO rank, however, remains a powerful incentive for enlisted personnel; thus, if JCO ranks are ever phased out, it will likely be a slow process.

[edit] Gallantry awards

Award	Description	British Equivalent
Nishan-i-Haider / The Order of Haider	This is Pakistan's highest decoration for the greatest acts of bravery in battle. The decoration may be awarded to any member of Pakistan's armed forces, regardless of rank or branch of service, for extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy. This medal has only been awarded to 10 men since 1947.	Victoria Cross
Nishan-i-Shujaat / Order of Bravery	Awarded for military and civilian acts of courage under circumstances of danger to oneself. In general, these are not acts of bravery performed under hostile fire or in combat situations.	George Cross
Hilal-i-Jur'at / Crescent of Courage	Awarded to officers for acts of valor, courage, or devotion to duty in the face of the enemy.	British Distinguished Service Order
Sitara-i-Jur'at / Star of Courage	Awarded to officers, junior commissioned officers, and warrant officers for gallantry and distinguished services in the face of the enemy.	British Military Cross
Tamgha-i-Jur'at / Medal of Courage	Awarded to non-commissioned officers and enlisted men for gallantry and distinguished services in the face of the enemy.	British Distinguished Conduct

[edit] Role of Religion

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and General Zia-ul-Haq were instrumental in introducing Islam and Islamic practices into the Military. Alcoholic beverages were banned and mullah as chaplains were assigned to go into combat with troops. Mosques were built inside military bases and Islamic texts and courses on Islam were made compulsory for officers. The Military establishment rejected the idea of total war that emerged in Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as un-Islamic and emphasized verses from the Quran which sees force only as a last resort. The function of the military is seen less of a capability for combat but rather preventing wars by instilling fear in the heart of the enemies.

However most officers consider religion a purely personal matter and relatively few Pakistani soldiers have turned to Islamic fundamentalism. Secular and western doctrines of warfare have been incorporated into the armed forces as the Generals know that modern land, sea and air combat tactics are not determined by religion.

[edit] Foreign Military Relations

See also: Foreign relations of Pakistan.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace (center), U.S. Marine Corps, reviews the Pakistani Honor Guard upon his arrival at the Joint Forces Command in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 20, 2006. Since 9/11, Pakistan and USA have established close military ties.

[edit] USA and NATO

Pakistan’s has had an on-again and off-again relationship with the United States. When relations were good, this meant access to funds, sophisticated weaponry and training. When relations were bad, it meant bitter disillusionment and the severing of support at critical junctures. These wide swings of fortune are something to which the Pakistanis have become accustomed, and they recognize that, whatever the provocation, the relationship with the United States has too much potential benefit to be discarded lightly.

[edit] China

China has been a steady source of military equipment and has cooperated with Pakistan in setting up weapons production and modernization facilities. Within months of the 1965 and 1971 wars, China began to re-supply the depleted Pakistani forces. Between 1965 and 1982, China was Pakistan's main military supplier, and materiel has continued to be transferred.

[edit] Arab Countries

The Pakistani military's close ties to the nations of the Middle East are based on a combination of geography and shared religion. The closest ties are with Saudi Arabia--a sporadically generous patron; much of the equipment bought from the United States during the 1980s, for example, was paid for by the Saudis. The smaller Persian Gulf states also have been sources of important financial support. The flow of benefits has been reciprocated. Beginning in the 1960s, Pakistanis have been detailed as instructors and trainers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistani pilots, sailors, and technicians have played key roles in some Persian Gulf military forces, and Arabs have been trained both in their home countries and in military training establishments in Pakistan.

[edit] Iran & Turkey

Pakistan enjoyed strong military relations with Iran during the Shah era. Both Pakistan and Iran were in the American camp opposing the Soviet Union and its allies which included India. After the Iranian revolution, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the new Iranian government and continued to maintain strong military relations. Iran sent its Military officers and personnel to be trained in Pakistani academies when military and diplomatic ties with the USA was severed following the hostage taking of the US Embassy. Pakistan also helped give spare parts and other items to the largely American equipped Iranian Military. The relations began to deteriorate when the Soviet war in Afghanistan caused large number of Sunni foreign fighters to arrive in Pakistan. Their extremist views towards Shia caused tensions to rise between Sunni and Shia communities in Pakistan much to the discomfort of Iran. The Arab countries and USA pressured Pakistan to stop its military aid to Iran due to the Iraq-Iran War in which USA and Sunni Arab countries were backing Iraq. Iran was blamed for the rising ethnic tensions between Sunni and Shia because of Pakistan's support of Iraq during the Iraq-Iraq war. Relations continued to decline in the 1990s when with Pakistan's help, the Sunni extremist, Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. Iran and the Taliban almost went to war in 1997 over territorial and drug trafficking disputes. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Iran move closer to India.

After 9/11 and the overthrow of the Taliban, Pakistan and Iran have begun re-build their ties. Delegations have been exchanged, and Pakistan has sold military equipment to Iran. Pakistan also has military ties with Turkey and would like to use these, as well as its Iranian connections, as a bridge to the new Muslim states of Central Asia.

[edit] Nuclear Doctrine

Main article: Nuclear Doctrine of Pakistan

The Pakistan military possesses nuclear weapons and sufficient means, through a range of missiles and aircraft — to deliver these over considerably long distances. However, unlike India, Pakistan does not have no-first-use policy and maintains the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent to India to offset the large conventional advantage India enjoys over Pakistan.

Pakistan is not a part of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), citing concerns that it unfairly favours the established nuclear powers, and provides no provision for complete nuclear disarmament. The Strategic Nuclear Command forms part of Pakistan's National Command Authority which is responsible for the management of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons.

See also: Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction.

[edit] Military Intelligence

Pakistan's Military Intelligence (MI) is one of the three main intelligence serives in Pakistan. MI is tasked with counter-insurgency operations, identifying and eliminating sleeper cells, foreign agents and other anti Pakistani elements within Pakistan. Additional functions involve monitoring high level military and political leaders and safe guarding critical facilities such as military and non-military installations. MI also has limited external role as well.

See also: Inter-Services Intelligence.

[edit] Military Academies

Pakistan has some of the best military academies in Asia and many officer corps from Asian as well as some African and Eastern European countries attend Pakistan's Military Academies.

The Military Academies Are:

[edit] Military Justice

The military justice system rests on three similar service laws: the Pakistan Army Act (1952), the Pakistan Air Force Act (1953), and the Pakistan Navy Ordinance (1961). The acts are administered by the individual services under the central supervision of the Ministry of Defense. The army has a four-tier system; the air force and navy, three-tier systems. The differences in tier levels reflect whether their competence extends to officers or enlisted men only and the severity of the punishment that may be imposed.

Civilian courts cannot question decisions handed down by the military court and double jeopardy is prohibited. In cases where a military person is alleged to have committed a crime against a civilian, the central government determines whether military or civilian courts have jurisdiction. Former servicemen in civilian life who are accused of felonies committed while on active duty are liable for prosecution under the jurisdiction of military courts. These courts are empowered to mete out a wide range of punishments including death. All sentences of imprisonment are served in military prisons or detention barracks.

[edit] Weapons industry

Pakistan began with virtually no military production capability. By 1951, Pakistan had created the Pakistan Ordnance Factory at Wah Cantonment, near Rawalpindi, to produce small arms, ammunition, and explosives. During the period of reliance on United States supply, there was little attention given to domestic production, but after the assistance cutoffs in 1965 and 1971, Pakistan relied on China's help to expand its facilities, including the modernization of Wah. The Heavy Industries at Taxila was established in 1971 as an equipment rebuilding facility, followed in 1973 by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, north of Islamabad. The air force assembled Chinese F-6s and French Mirages; produced the Mushshak trainer, which was based on the Swedish SAAB Safari/Supporter; maintained radar and avionics equipment; and in the mid-1990s was in the process of developing the Karakorum jet trainer.

The Ministry of Defense Production was created in September 1991 to promote and coordinate the patchwork of military production facilities that have developed since independence. The ministry also includes seven other specialized organizations devoted to research and development, production, and administration.

The navy is supported mainly by a facility at the Karachi Shipyard, which has limited production capacity. In 1987 development of a submarine repair and rebuild facility at Port Qasim was begun. By early 2000, in a joint project with China led to the development of the JF-17 fighter and the Al-Khalid Tank. Pakistan also has taken major steps to becoming self sufficient in aircraft overhaul and modernization and tank and helicopter sales and in a transfer of technology with France led to the construction of the Agosta B-90 Submarine in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

[edit] Budget

Pakistan acquired 40 Block 15 F-16A/Bs during the Soviet war in Afghanistan

Faced with the problem of defense against a much larger enemy from a relatively weak resource base, the military claimed a large share of the nation's resources even to maintain a minimally effective defensive capability. The successive governments and the civilian population believed it necessary to support the armed forces as much as possible. From 1958 to 1973, the defense budget accounted for nearly 60% of the total government expenditures. Since 1973, this percentage has been reduced by half due to a growing economy, inflation, and foreign military aid. In 2005 Pakistan's Military expenditures were 4.26 Billion dollars, which is 3.9 percent of GDP.