Law enforcement in Pakistan ( ur, ) is one of the three main components of the
criminal justice
Criminal justice is the delivery of justice to those who have been accused of committing crimes. The criminal justice system is a series of government agencies and institutions. Goals include the Rehabilitation (penology), rehabilitation of o ...
system of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, alongside the
judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
and the
prisons
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...
.
The country has a mix of federal, provincial and territorial police forces with both general and specialised functions, but the senior ranks of all the provincial forces and most of the federal ones are manned by members of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP). The PSP is one of the most prestigious parts of the
Central Superior Services
The Central Superior Services (CSS; or Civil Service) is a permanent elite civil service authority, and the civil service that is responsible for running the bureaucratic operations and government secretariats and directorates of the Cabinet of ...
, Pakistan's main civil service organisation.
Federal law enforcement agencies are generally overseen by the
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
of the
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...
, while provincial police forces are overseen by a department of the government of that province.
Federal police agencies
Some of the below agencies are part of the
Civil Armed Forces
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 ag ...
, while others are law enforcement divisions of government departments. Not included is the
Pakistan Army Corps of Military Police
The Pakistan Army Corps of Military Police ( ur, ملڑى پولیس كور , Military Police Corps, abbreviated as MP, is the active-duty uniformed staff Corps tasked with maintaining law enforcement within the Pakistan Army. Professional mis ...
, which only has jurisdiction over military personnel.
*
Airports Security Force
The Airports Security Force (ASF) ( ur, ) is a federal agency under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation which is responsible for protecting the airports, facilities and the planes (on-ground ...
(8,945 personnel) is part of the
Aviation Division
An Aviation Division (russian: авиационная дивизия) was a type of formation of the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Soviet Air Forces, Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) and Aviation of th ...
(which also includes
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines ( ur, ; abbreviated PIA, ur, ) is an international airline that serves as the national flag carrier of Pakistan under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation. It ...
, and the
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) ( ur, ) is a state-owned autonomous body under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Paki ...
) and is responsible for protecting airports, facilities and the planes (on-ground or in-air). It safeguards the
civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...
industry against unlawful interferences, adopting
counter terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or ...
measures, preventing crime and maintaining law and order within the limits of Pakistani airports.
![ANF_PERSONELL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/ANF_PERSONELL.jpg)
*
Anti-Narcotics Force
The Anti-Narcotics Force ( ur, , reporting name: ''ANF'') is a federal executive bureau of the Government of Pakistan, tasked with combating the narcotics smuggling and use within Pakistan. ANF works under the umbrella of Pakistan Army and Mi ...
(3,100 personnel) is tasked with combating narcotics smuggling and use within Pakistan.
*
Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation
Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (D.G. I&I) ( ur, ) is a department of Federal Board of Revenue, Pakistan. It mostly works as an intelligence arm of Federal Board of Revenue but its day-to-day work involves investigations of ...
is the investigation branch of the
Federal Board of Revenue
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ( ur, ), formerly known as Central Board of Revenue (CBR), is a federal law enforcement agency of Pakistan that investigates tax crimes, suspicious accumulation of wealth, money-laundering make regulation of ...
.
*
Federal Investigation Agency
The Federal Investigation Agency ( ur, ; reporting name: FIA) is a border control, criminal investigation, counter-intelligence and security agency under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, tasked with investigative jurisdictio ...
is a border control, counter-intelligence and security agency under the Interior Ministry, tasked with investigative jurisdiction on undertaking operations against terrorism, espionage, federal crimes, fascism, smuggling as well as infringement and other specific crimes.
*
Frontier Corps
The Frontier Corps ( ur, , reporting name: FC), are a group of paramilitary forces of Pakistan, operating in the provinces of Balochistan (Pakistan), Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to maintain law and order while overseeing the country's ...
(80,000 personnel) are a pair of paramilitary forces operating along the
Afghanistan-Pakistan border and
Iran-Pakistan border
*
Frontier Constabulary
The Frontier Constabulary ( ur, ) is a federal paramilitary force of Pakistan under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, which is largely drawn from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but operates in several districts of Pakistan. It i ...
(26,000 personnel) is a paramilitary police force responsible for maintaining law and order and dealing with situations outside the capabilities of the
civilian police force of the province of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
. It was founded in the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
in 1913, and was named after the former North-West Frontier Province.
*
Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
The Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts, are a civil armed force of Pakistan, tasked with law enforcement in the nominally autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan and border guard duties. The force was formed in 2003 under the control of the Interior ...
(2,481 personnel) is a paramilitary force operating in the northernmost parts of Pakistan along the
China-Pakistan border.
* The
National Counter Terrorism Authority
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) ( ur, ), commonly called Nacta, is a Pakistani internal security organization responsible for making counter terrorism and counter extremism policies and strategies. It also develops action plans a ...
(NACTA) is a coordination and planning body bringing together many organisations whose remits cover counter-terrorism. They are responsible for domestic and international liaison, creating short and long term strategies and action plans, and carrying out research with the aim of countering terrorism.
*
National Highways and Motorway Police
The National Highways & Motorway Police ( ur, ), abbreviated NHMP, is a police force in Pakistan that is responsible for enforcement of traffic and safety laws, security and recovery on Pakistan's National Highways and Motorway network. NHMP u ...
is responsible for enforcement of traffic and safety laws, security and recovery on the National Highways and Motorway network. The NH&MP use SUVs, cars and heavy motorbikes for patrols, and speed cameras for enforcing speed limits.
*
National Police Academy is a training centre for the senior officers of civilian police agencies.
*
National Police Bureau
National Police Bureau ( ur, ) is an institution under Ministry of Interior, Pakistan. The bureau acts as think tank for government in help shape policies for law enforcement agencies and recommending police reforms for the ministry.
The Bureau w ...
acts as a think tank for the Ministry of Interior to shape police reforms and policies.
*
Pakistan Coast Guard
The Pakistan Coast Guards (reporting name: PCG) ( ur, ) is a maritime law enforcement agency within the Pakistan Army. It is a Army-managed and Army-controlled law enforcement agency whose mission is dedicated for the Riverine warfare, riverin ...
(7,000 personnel) is a paramilitary force operating along the coast of Pakistan.
*
Pakistan Railways Police
Railroad police or railway police are people responsible for the protection of railroad (or railway) properties, facilities, revenue, equipment (train cars and locomotives), and personnel, as well as carried passengers and cargo. Railroad police ...
operates on the
railway system of Pakistan.
*
Pakistan Rangers
The Pakistan Rangers ( ur, ) are a paramilitary federal law enforcement organization in Pakistan, operating under the authority of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan. Their primary purpose is to secure and defend sites of significance in the ...
(41,000 personnel) are a pair of paramilitary forces operating along the
India-Pakistan border.
*
Pakistan Customs
Pakistan Customs () is one of the elite cadres of the Civil Services of Pakistan.
Pakistan Customs is manned by officers from the Pakistan Customs Service (PCS) which is one of the premier occupational group among Pakistan's civil services. Pr ...
operates in the airports and seaports of Pakistan.
Islamabad Capital Territory
The
Capital Territory Police
Capital Territory Police ( ur, ), also known as the Islamabad Capital Territory Police, is a police force formed in 1981 to police Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan under administrative control of the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad Capital T ...
is the ordinary police force for the
Islamabad Capital Territory
The Islamabad Capital Territory ( ur, , translit=Vafāqī Dār-alhakūmat) is the only federal territory of Pakistan. Located between the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it includes the country's capital city of Islamabad. The terr ...
. Because of the city's status, its police force is under the remit of the Government of Pakistan. It includes the
Islamabad Traffic Police
Islamabad Traffic Police ( ur, ) is a "model traffic police force" formed under the Capital Territory Police in 2006 to "bring a new and healthy change in the traffic system" in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
The police force is responsible ...
.
Provincial and territorial police
![Sindh_police_constable_2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Sindh_police_constable_2.jpg)
The four
provinces of Pakistan
The administrative units of Pakistan comprise four provinces, one federal territory, and two disputed territories: the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan; the Islamabad Capital Territory; and the administrative ...
(
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
,
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
and
Balochistan
Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...
) each have their own police force, organised to suit the challenges of that locality, with their own specialised and elite units. Each police force has a
Commissioner of Police appointed as
Inspector-General
An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general".
Australia
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory of ...
who is a senior officer from the Police Service of Pakistan.
Some provincial police forces are routinely supported by federal paramilitary units operating in that area. All provincial police forces contain a
Counter Terrorism Department
The Counter Terrorism Department ( ur, ; CTD) formerly known as the Crime Investigation Department (CID), are crime scene investigation, interrogation, anti-terrorism, and intelligence bureaus of the provincial police services of Pakistan.
...
.
The traditional uniform of Pakistani provincial police officers is a black shirt with tan trousers. In 2017, police in Punjab transitioned to an olive green uniform, but reverted to the traditional uniform in 2019. In 2020, all provinces decided to adopt the uniform worn in Islamabad - light blue or white shirts with dark blue trousers.
Balochistan
* The
Balochistan Police
Balochistan Police or Baloch Police ( Baloch, Urdu: بلوچستان پولیس) is responsible for policing urban Balochistan, Pakistan. Its strength is 38,000 as of 2018. The current Inspector General of Police, Balochistan is Abdul Khalique S ...
(38,000 personnel) operates in 7 districts of
Balochistan province
Balochistan (; bal, بلۏچستان; ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It shares land ...
.
** The
Balochistan Constabulary (10,000 personnel) is a reserve police unit of the Balochistan Police.
* The
Balochistan Levies (23,000 personnel) is a paramilitary police force operating in 23 of Balochistan's 30 districts.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
* The
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police (), formerly known as the Frontier Police, is the provincial law enforcement agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
History
British colonial era
In 1849, the land corresponding to modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkh ...
(83,000 personnel) is the main civilian police force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
** The
Reserve Frontier Police
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
Places
* Reserve, Kansas, a US city
* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
* Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...
(10,000 personnel) acts as the reserve unit of the KP Police.
** The
Special Combat Unit
Special Combat Unit (SCU) is a branch of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police trained as for counter-terrorism purposes capable of Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment, it is operational in its jurisdiction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The force c ...
is for counter-terrorism operations.
* The
Khasadar Forces
The Khasadar (Arabic أَمين for Keeper/Guardian) were paramilitary forces operating throughout the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. The Khasadar were a locally recruited and m ...
are tribal security forces operating throughout the former
tribal areas, now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
*
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Levies (11,739 personnel) are raised by provincial or local governments to provide additional security in their areas. They include:
**
Dir Levies
**
Malakand Levies
The Levies and the Khasadar Forces will be absorbed into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police.
Punjab
* The
Punjab Police (180,000 personnel) operates in the
Punjab province.
** The
Dolphin Force
Dolphin Force is an elite unit of the Punjab Police that focuses on combating street crime. It was modeled after the Istanbul Police Dolphin Force and launched by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, in Lahore in 2016. Since then, it ...
deals with street crime.
** The
Elite Police
The Elite Police ( ur, ایلیٹ کمانڈو فورس), also known as the "Elite Force" or "Police Commandos", is a branch of the Punjab Police specializing in Counter-Terrorist operations and VIP security duties, as well as acting against serio ...
performs counter-terrorism operations.
** The
Police Qaumi Razakars
Police Qaumi Razakars or Razakar (''plu'': Razakars) (Arabic for volunteer) is a volunteer police force in Punjab province, Pakistan. Its duties include helping with the maintenance of law and order, by helping the police maintaining public secu ...
are a support force for the Punjab Police in their duties.
*
Punjab Highway Patrol
, nativenamea =
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*
Punjab Prisons manage 43 prisons.
Sindh
* The
Sindh Police
, nativenamea =
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(128,500 personnel) operates in the
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
province.
** The
Special Security Unit
The Special Security Unit (SSU) is a specialized counterterrorism and security unit of the Sindh Police in Pakistan. It is a Karachi-based unit, with its operational jurisdiction extending throughout Sindh as a whole. It was established in 2010 ...
is a specialized counterterrorism and security unit, based in Karachi, with operational jurisdiction extending throughout Sindh. The SSU was established in 2010 in response to increased rates of terrorism.
Territories
The
Azad Kashmir Police
The Azad Kashmir Police (آزاد کشمیر پولیس) or Azad Jammu and Kashmir Police (AJKP) is responsible for law enforcement in the Azad Kashmir region administered by Pakistan. It is headed by Inspector-General of Police, Amir Ahmed S ...
operates in the semi-autonomous
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee:
*
*
* and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...
, South
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
police operates the South punjab region and the
Gilgit-Baltistan Police
The Gilgit-Baltistan Police (), formerly known as Northern Areas Police, is responsible for law enforcement in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The mission of the GB Police is the prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of law and ...
operates in the semi-autonomous
Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute bet ...
region.
Police Service of Pakistan
The Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) replaced the
Indian Imperial Police The Indian Imperial Police, referred to variously as the Imperial Police or simply the Indian Police or, by 1905, Imperial Police, was part of the Indian Police Services, the uniform system of police administration in British Raj, as established by ...
in 1948, a year after Pakistan became
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
from the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
. The service commands and provides leadership to federal, provincial, and territorial police forces. Its officers are assigned to different districts, provinces and stations across Pakistan. Most of the country's highest profile law enforcement positions are staffed by members of the PSP, including Inspector Generals of provinces, the Director Generals of the
Intelligence Bureau and
Federal Investigation Agency
The Federal Investigation Agency ( ur, ; reporting name: FIA) is a border control, criminal investigation, counter-intelligence and security agency under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, tasked with investigative jurisdictio ...
, and superintendents of the
Frontier Constabulary
The Frontier Constabulary ( ur, ) is a federal paramilitary force of Pakistan under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, which is largely drawn from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but operates in several districts of Pakistan. It i ...
&
National Highways and Motorway Police
The National Highways & Motorway Police ( ur, ), abbreviated NHMP, is a police force in Pakistan that is responsible for enforcement of traffic and safety laws, security and recovery on Pakistan's National Highways and Motorway network. NHMP u ...
. Officers are recruited through an extremely competitive examination held once a year by the
Federal Public Service Commission
The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) ( ur, ) is a federal agency of Government of Pakistan that is responsible for recruiting civil servants and bureaucrats for Government of Pakistan.
History
The Public Service Commission was set ...
. Those selected then must undergo a six month training programme known as CTP at the
Civil Services Academy
Situated in Lahore, Pakistan, the Civil Services Academy Lahore is an academy for training the young bureaucrats of the country who are commissioned by the Federal public service commission through a very competitive and tough exam known as Cent ...
(CSA) in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, and a further 18 months of specialised training occurs at the
National Police Academy Islamabad.
Primarily operated through the
four provincial governments and the
Islamabad Capital Territory
The Islamabad Capital Territory ( ur, , translit=Vafāqī Dār-alhakūmat) is the only federal territory of Pakistan. Located between the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it includes the country's capital city of Islamabad. The terr ...
,
each police service has a jurisdiction extending only within the relevant province or territory.
The law enforcement agencies are also involved in providing first response to emergencies and other threats to
public safety
Public security or public safety is the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety and security of the public from significant danger, injury, or property damage. It is often conducted by a state government to ensure ...
as well as
protecting the infrastructure and maintaining order in the country. Apart from investigating crime scenes, criminal acts, suspected unlawful activities, and detention of suspected criminals pending judicial action, the law enforcement agencies (primarily police) also perform duties that include the service and enforcement of warrants, writs, and other orders of the courts.
Designations of PSP officers
See also
*
Federal Security Force
The Federal Security Force (FSF) was a paramilitary/secret police force created by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, while he was the President of Pakistan. Established in 1972, created as a civil task force of the federal government, this was used as a subst ...
, a defunct law enforcement agency
*
Civil Armed Forces
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 ag ...
*
List of cases of law enforcement brutality in Pakistan
*
Crime in Pakistan
Crime in Pakistan is present in various forms and occurs everywhere, especially in the many major
cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad, Islamabad and Quetta. Among other general crimes ...
*
Organised crime in Pakistan
Organized crime in Pakistan refers to the activities of groups of organized crime in Pakistan, The Pakistani mafia is spread in many countries. Pakistani mafia groups are mostly ethnically-based. The Pakistani mafia is involved in drug trafficki ...
References
{{Asia topic, Law enforcement in