Pakistan Rangers

The origins of the Pakistan Rangers go back to 1942, when the British government established a special unit in Sindh known as the Sindh Police Rangers.

After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the protection of its eastern boundaries with India was allotted to various temporary forces, such as the Punjab Border Police Force, Bahawalpur State Police, Khairpur State Police and Sindh Rifles.

Because the Rangers were neither correctly structured nor outfitted for a specific duty, on 7 October 1958[4] they were restructured and renamed to the West Pakistan Rangers. In 1972, following the independence of East Pakistan and Legal Framework Order No. 1970 by the Government of Pakistan, the force was officially renamed from the West Pakistan Rangers to the Pakistan Rangers and put under control of the Ministry of Defence.

In 1974, the organization became part of the Civil Armed Forces under the Pakistani Ministry of Interior, where it has remained since.

In late 1989, due to growing riots and the worsening situation of law and order in the province of Sindh, a new force was raised for a strategic anti-dacoit operation. The paramilitary force operated under the name of the Mehran Force and consisted of the then-existing Sindh Rangers, three battalions of the Pakistan Army (including the Northern Scouts). The Mehran Force was under the direct command of the Director-General (DG) of the Pakistan Rangers with its nucleus headquarters in Karachi.

Following these series of events, the federal government decided to substantially increase the strength of the Pakistan Rangers and raise a separate, dedicated headquarters for them in the province of Sindh. On 1 July 1995 the Pakistan Rangers were bifurcated into two distinct forces, the Pakistan Rangers - Punjab (Punjab Rangers) and Pakistan Rangers - Sindh (Sindh Rangers). Consequently, the Mehran Force and other Pakistani paramilitary units operating in the province of Sindh were merged with and began to operate under the Sindh Rangers.[5]

A Punjab Ranger at the Wagah border.

The West Pakistan Rangers fought alongside the Pakistan Army in several conflicts, namely the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.[6] After the war in 1971 and subsequent independence of Bangladesh, the force was federalized under the Ministry of Defence as the Pakistan Rangers and shortly afterwards in 1974, it was made a component of the Civil Armed Forces (CAF) under the Ministry of Interior. Since then, the Pakistan Rangers are primarily responsible for guarding the border with neighbouring India during times of peace and war. The Pakistan Rangers are credited for providing the Pakistan Army with additional troops for Special Police Units (SPUs) for various peacekeeping missions during the Yugoslav Wars (United Nations Protection Force - Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina) and in Haiti (United Nations Stabilization Mission - Haiti).[5]

UN peacekeeping troops from SPUs are entrusted with the task to provide protection and security to UN officials, provide operational and backup support, respond to threats to public order, and assist various humanitarian agencies.[7] The Pakistan Rangers have participated in military exercises with the Pakistan Army's Special Service Group (SSG) and also assisted with military operations in the past since their revitalization and rebuilding after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The first such participation was in 1973, when they operated under the command of the SSG to raid the Iraqi embassy in Islamabad alongside local police. In 1992, the Sindh Rangers saw an extensive deployment throughout Karachi to keep peace in the city in support of the Government of Sindh. The Sindh Provincial Police and Pakistan Rangers were involved in Operation Blue Fox against the MQM with direction from the Pakistan Army. Due to their close association with the military, the Rangers also saw combat against regular Indian troops during the Kargil War of 1999 in Kashmir. In 2007, the Pakistan Rangers alongside regular Pakistani soldiers and SSG commandos participated in Operation Silence against Taliban forces in Islamabad. The conflict started when, after 18 months of tensions between government authorities and Islamist militants, Taliban terrorists attacked the Punjab Rangers guarding the nearby Ministry of Environment building and set it ablaze. Immediately following this event, they proceeded to attack a nearby Pakistani healthcare centre, notoriously kidnapping an abundance of Chinese nurses, and subsequently locked themselves inside the Red Mosque with hostages.[8] Two years later, in 2009, the Rangers once again participated in a special military operation in Lahore alongside the SSG, when twelve terrorists operating for the Taliban attacked the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore. The operation ended with eight militants killed and four captured.[9] Later that year, the Government of Pakistan deployed the Punjab Rangers to secure the outskirts of Islamabad when the Taliban had taken over the Buner, Lower Dir, Swat and Shangla districts. Following these incidents, the Rangers participated in the Pakistan Army's Operation Black Thunderstorm.[10]

The Pakistan Rangers are a paramilitary force with the primary purpose of serving as the border guard for Pakistan along the Indo-Pakistani International Border. The two distinct divisions of the Rangers (Sindh and Punjab) function under the authority of a separate Director-General (DG) appointed by the Pakistan Army after clearance from the Chief of Army Staff. The DG of the Rangers holds the 2-star officer rank of Major-General. Currently, the DG of the Sindh Rangers is Major-General Omar Ahmad Bokhari,[11] whereas the DG of the Punjab Rangers is Major-General Muhammad Aamir Majeed.[12]

The equivalent paramilitary force in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is called the Frontier Corps (FC), with each province having its own unique division.

A Ranger in ceremonial dress guarding the Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal in Iqbal Park, Lahore.

Aside from the primary objective of guarding the border with India, the Rangers are also responsible for maintaining internal security in Pakistan and serve as a major law enforcement organization in the country. Despite this, they do not possess the power to make arrests like the regular police with the exception of when the state temporarily sanctions them with such an authority in times of extreme crisis. Their primary objective as an internal security force is to prevent and suppress crime by taking preventive security measures, cracking down on criminals and thwarting organized crime with the use of major force. All suspects apprehended by the Rangers during a crackdown are later handed over to police for further investigation and possible prosecution when the chaos is brought under control. The same privileges are also temporarily granted by the government to other security organizations such as the Frontier Corps for the same reasons.

The Rangers are also tasked with securing important monuments and guarding national assets in all major cities, including Islamabad.

In the past, they have also served as prison guards for high-profile terrorists until they were withdrawn from such duties.[13]

The Rangers have notably contributed towards maintaining law and order in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore in major crises. Due to the developing internal instability in Pakistan, the Rangers have become an extremely necessary force to maintain order throughout the provinces of Sindh and Punjab.

Similarly to regular police, the Sindh and Punjab Rangers collectively function as semi-provincial organizations, independent of one another.

The specialized anti-terrorist squad of the Pakistan Rangers was launched in early 2004, in the wake of extreme unrest due to the spillover from the War in Afghanistan. Its function is similar to that of the Pakistan Army's SSG albeit on a provincial level. The squad was activated and began to receive training from the SSG due to the inevitable fact that the Rangers (an organization meant to deal with regular criminals) would now have to deal with a threat that would otherwise be undoubtedly superior to them—such as the Taliban and other al-Qaeda-aligned groups.

Selection for the Pakistan Rangers lasts between 2–3 weeks and both males and females can join. Disregarding physical fitness standards, an applicant must be between 18–25 or 18–30 years old to qualify for entry with the Punjab Rangers and Sindh Rangers, respectively. The educational standards for the Rangers require that the applicant have passed with a degree in the Faculty of Arts (FA) or Faculty of Science (FSc) - roughly equivalent to a high school diploma in the United States - from a government-registered college. An applicant must also hold Pakistani citizenship in order to be eligible to join. After selection and training, a Ranger can be deployed to any place in their respective province (countrywide in times of crises) or abroad if necessary, according to the Pakistan Rangers Act of 1959.[16]

Pakistani Rangers from the Punjab force standing guard at the Wagah border with India.

Although the Pakistan Rangers are under the administration of the Interior Ministry of Pakistan, key positions in the force, including Director-General (DG) of the Rangers, are headed by the members of the Pakistan Army. The DG of the Pakistan Rangers is appointed by the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters (GHQ). Qualifiers for the position of DG are officers with a two-star rank of Major-General. The majority of the leading officers in the Rangers come from the Pakistan Army, however many departmental officers in the Rangers can be inducted as direct-entry sub-inspectors. These officers can reach a maximum rank of SSR (Senior Superintendent of the Rangers) - roughly equivalent to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Pakistan Army.

OR, NCO, JCO ranks:

• OR Ranks:
  • Sepoy
  • Lance Naik
• NCO Ranks:
  • Naik
  • Havaldar
• JCO Ranks:
  • Sub-Inspector (equal to Naib Subedar)
  • Inspector (equal to Subedar)
  • Senior Inspector (equal to Subedar Major)

Officer Ranks:

• Direct-Entry Sub-Inspector (with the responsibilities of a 2nd Lieutenant)
• Inspector (with the responsibilities of a Lieutenant)
• DSR (Deputy Superintendent of the Rangers) - equivalent to Captain
• SR (Superintendent of the Rangers) - equivalent to Major
• SSR (Senior Superintendent of the Rangers) - equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel

Personnel joining as sepoys can reach a maximum rank of DSR (Deputy Superintendent of the Rangers), which would be equivalent to Captain in the Pakistan Army.

The rank insignia are the same as those used by the Pakistan Army, except for Inspector ranks which use the standard police rank insignia.

Attari-Wagah Border Crossing Flag Ceremony

A Punjab Ranger in ceremonial black dress marches at the Wagah-Attari border ceremony as another Ranger in a regular field uniform stands by, 2015.

Wagah and Attari, the only open road border crossing between Pakistan and India, is the site of a notorious flag lowering ceremony each evening. During the ceremony, Indian Border Security Force personnel and Pakistani Rangers carry out a drill in which they mirror each others' actions predominantly consisting of high-kicks, foot stamping, marches and aggressive stares. Despite the outward display of what seems to be aggressive nationalism, arrogance and pride, the meticulously synchronized drills actually require a high degree of cooperation and coordination from both sides. The ceremony is attended by numerous spectators from both nations, as well as foreign tourists.

A Sindh Ranger armed with a Heckler & Koch/POF MP5.

A Bell 206 helicopter in operation by the Sindh Rangers

• Automatic Rifles – 7.62mm Heckler & Koch/POF G3, 7.62mm Type 56 (POF made), 5.56mm Steyr AUG
• Submachine Guns – 9mm Heckler & Koch/POF MP5, 9mm SMG-PK (POF made)
• Pistols – Glock series, Sigma series
• Sniper Rifles – Heckler & Koch/POF PSR-90 (POF made), Steyr SSG 69
• Hand Grenades – ARGES 84 (POF made)
• Anti-Tank Weapons – RPG-7 (POF made), M40 recoilless rifle
• Machine Guns – 7.62mm Rheinmetall/POF MG3 (POF made)
• Heavy Machine Guns – 12.7mm Type 54 (POF made)
• Mortars – Various locally produced in use
• Bulletproof Jackets – Various local and foreign types
• Helmets – Modular Integrated Communications Helmet (MICH) and various indigenously-produced helmets
• Optics – NVGs
• Utility Vehicles – Mohafiz (HIT made), Indus Hilux – locally produced, APC Talha/Saad
• Helicopters – Bell 206, Bell 412

• Sub-Inspector Amarjeet Singh - the first Pakistani Sikh officer of the Punjab Rangers.[17]
• SSR Malik Mukhtar - the first officer of the Pakistan Rangers to reach the rank of Senior Superintendent of the Rangers (SSR) – equivalent to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Pakistan Army. He is also well-known for his bravery in the Pakistan Army's Operation Blue Fox against an MQM insurgency in Karachi.

Brigadier-General (BG) Shaukat Ali Raja was in command of a major post in the Pakistan Rangers, where usually a Lieutenant-General is in charge. Consequently, Major-Generals would have to salute his motorcade – the likes of which were never seen before in history. He remains the only BG to ever be in high command of the Punjab Rangers in Lahore.

When threats to the business and political community were increasing alarmingly in Karachi in the forms of kidnapping for ransom, extortion, industrialists began to shift their investments and activities to Bangladesh and other countries. Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani took notice of the dire situation and at the request of the government as well as the business community, the Pakistan Rangers were deployed with special powers granted by the constitution.[18] The Rangers played a crucial role in restoring and maintaining peace and curbed law offenders without any discrimination and consideration of political affiliation. The people of Karachi and the business community in particular took major relief from this and lauded the role of the Rangers throughout Sindh. Director-General (DG) of the Sindh Rangers, Ejaz Chaudry visited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 17 November 2011 – where the entire business community unanimously acclaimed the Pakistan Rangers' role in maintaining peace in the city and demanded the extension of their stay with special orders for another year.[19]

U.S. Lieutenant-General Vincent R. Stewart praised the anti-insurgency operations being conducted in North-West Pakistan by the Pakistani military. He also praised the extensive operations carried out in Karachi by the Pakistan Rangers, claiming they all helped reduce violence in the country by a fair amount.[20]

The Pakistan Rangers have also been involved in international peacekeeping operations for the United Nations (UN) in a number of countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Haiti and others.[21][22]

• 1973 – Under the authority of the Pakistan Army's Special Service Group (SSG), the Punjab Rangers and Islamabad Police raided the Iraqi embassy in Islamabad after an intelligence report disclosed the presence of armaments and funds meant for Baloch insurgents from a joint Iraqi-Soviet operation.
• 2007 – the Punjab Rangers alongside the SSG participated in the Siege of Lal Masjid against Taliban forces.
• 2011 – Rangers from the Sindh force were involved in the controversial shooting of a 22-year-old unarmed Pakistani civilian that was caught on camera. The footage was later broadcast by major news networks throughout the country and sparked intense public backlash and protests. All of the Rangers involved in the incident were immediately prosecuted by authorities, and the Sindh High Court sentenced Shahid Zafar (the Ranger who killed the civilian) to death. Various appeals for acquittal were made by Zafar's lawyers but were overturned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan which upheld the death sentence.[23][24]
• 2015 – the Sindh Rangers raided the main office of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi and detained members of the party. An abundance of illegal armaments and ammunition were seized in the raid.[25][26]
• 2016 – In January, two employees working for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were found dead after a chaotic public protest blocked a road near Jinnah International Airport. The Sindh Rangers were assigned to clear the streets of protesters and restore order which is the primary suspicion of the cause behind these two deaths.[27]

Pakistan Rangers - Sindh is starting its own radio show in Karachi known as "Rangers Hour" on FM 101 intended to communicate with and broadcast news as well as updates to the people of the metropolis; preceding this, a radio service was also established by the Sindh Police on FM 88.6 with a similar purpose. The Sindh Rangers also established a 24-hour helpline "1101" for the people to report any applicable information or crime/terrorism in the metropolis.[28]

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  Pakistan Rangers guarding the Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal in Iqbal Park, Lahore
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  Baba Chamliyal Mela at the Indo-Pakistani International Border, near Jammu.
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  Indian BSF personnel and Pakistani Rangers during the Wagah-Attari border ceremony.
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  A Pakistani Ranger in ceremonial dress.
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  A Pakistani Ranger standing by in ceremonial dress.
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  A Pakistani Ranger during the Wagah-Attari border ceremony.
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  Pakistani Rangers at the Wagah-Attari border crossing.
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  Punjab Rangers near the Indo-Pakistani border with G3 assault rifles.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pakistan Rangers.

• Frontier Corps (Pakistani Paramilitary Border Guard)
• Border Security Force (Indian Counterpart to the Pakistan Rangers)
• India-Pakistan relations

• Official Web Portal of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)
• Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) "Under Construction"
• Pakistan Rangers (Punjab)
• The Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959 (W.P. Ordinance XIV of 1959)