Pakistani Security Forces
Pakistan's security forces are composed of a regular military, several paramilitary organizations that will report to a new National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Inter-Services Intelligence, and police organizations. The structure reflects a concern with very different threats: major conventional and potentially nuclear warfare with India, guerilla movements in disputed or tribal territories, and counterterrorism in the main provinces of the country.
Regular military
The conventional forces comprise an Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), and Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya). [1]
Regular military
Unquestionably, the primary concern of the regular military forces is war with India; there have been numerous engagements. Pakistani forces also, however, participate in a number of United Nations peace operations.
Counterinsurgency
Counterinsurgency strategists, who think in population-centric rather than enemy-centric terms, are looking at strengthening the Pakistani security forces to operate in a more effective way. This hardly represents a consensus within the Pakistani government, when President Asif Ali Zardari said, in May 2009, Pakistan needed to develop its capabilities and required more military aid,[2]. Also in May, Pakistani Army Chief Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani said "[E]xcept for very specialized weapons and equipment and [advanced] technology, no generalized foreign training is required," [3] and outside input would be counterproductive.
This is a major conflict for U.S. policymakers. C. Christine Fair of the RAND Corporation said "Pakistan's army does not want to become a counterinsurgency force." [4]
Paramilitary
Paramilitary forces are of varying quality. The most effective are the Pakistan Ranger commands in Punjab and Sindh Provinces; the Frontier Corps in the Northwest Frontier Province and Baluchistan Province are less so. [5]
A new development is having them report to a National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), to be headed inspector general of police, Tariq Pervez. President Zardari asked for funding for NACTA on March 28, 2009; the assumption is that there will be considerable foreign assistance, and incentive pay for the counterterrorism personnel.[6]
Police
Pakistan is facing a grave threat from a variety of insurgent and terrorist groups. So far, the army has been the principal U.S. partner in contending with a variety of insurgent and terrorist threats in the tribal areas, the Northwest Frontier Province, and elsewhere.[7]
External
Peace operations
There has been a small UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) since 1949.
References
- ↑ Central Intelligence Agency, Pakistan, Military, The World Factbook
- ↑ "War to be extended beyond Swat, says Zardari", The News (Pakistan), May 18, 2009
- ↑ "Counter-insurgency training facilities developed: Kayani", Daily Times (Pakistan), May 17, 2009
- ↑ Realigning Pakistan's Security Forces, Council on Foreign Relations, June 18, 2009
- ↑ Hassan Abbas (April, 2009), ISPU: Police and Law Enforcement Reform in Pakistan, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
- ↑ "Pakistan’s Zardari hails US Strategy Review", Reuters, March 28, 2009
- ↑ C. Christine Fair (May 5, 2009), From Strategy to Implementation: The Future of the U.S.-Pakistan Relationship, House Foreign Affairs Committee, CT-330pp. 4-6