The Frontier Corps Balochistan (South) (,

reporting name Reporting may refer to * any activity that leads to reports * in particular business reporting * Data reporting * Sustainability reporting * Financial reporting * international reporting of financial information for tax purposes under the OECD's ...

: FCB(S)), is a federal

paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...

force in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

, operating in the southwestern part of the province of

Balochistan Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region o ...

, to overseeing the country's borders with

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and assist with maintaining law and order. It is one of four Frontier Corps with the others being: FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North) and FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (South) stationed in

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ; , ; abbr. KP or KPK), formerly known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Northern Pakistan, northwestern region of the country, Khyber ...

province, and FC Balochistan (North) stationed in the northern part of Balochistan province. The Frontier Corps are often confused with

Frontier Constabulary The Frontier Constabulary () 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 is res ...

as both forces abbreviated as ''FC''. Frontier Corps are group of four paramilitary forces officered by the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

. On other hand, Frontier Constabulary is unified force officered by the

Police Service of Pakistan Law enforcement in Pakistan () is one of the three main components of the criminal justice system of Pakistan, alongside the judiciary and the prisons. The country has a mix of federal, provincial and territorial police forces with both general ...

. The Corps is headed by a seconded inspector general, who is a

officer of at least major-general rank, although the force itself is officially under the jurisdiction of the

Interior Ministry An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the ...

. The Corps consists of several infantry regiments, themselves composed of one or more

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

-sized wings. Some of the regiments were raised during the

colonial era Colonial period (a period in a country's history where it was subject to management by a colonial power) may refer to: Continents *European colonization of the Americas * Colonisation of Africa * Western imperialism in Asia Countries * Col ...

History

The Frontier Corps was created in 1907 by

Lord Curzon George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (11 January 1859 – 20 March 1925), known as Lord Curzon (), was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician, explorer and writer who served as Viceroy of India ...

, the viceroy of British India, in order to organize seven militia and scout units in the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan: the Khyber Rifles, the Zhob Militia, the Kurram Militia, the Tochi Scouts, the Chagai Militia, the South Waziristan Scouts and the

Chitral Scouts The Chitral Scouts (''CS'') (), also known as Chitral Levies, originally raised in 1903 as the militia of the princely state of Chitral, is now part of the Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North) of Pakistan. They are recruited mostly from ...

. The Frontier Corps was led by an "inspecting officer" who was a British officer of the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1943 the inspecting officer was upgraded to an inspector general (an officer with the rank of

brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

), and the corps was expanded with the addition of new units—the Second Mahsud Scouts (raised in 1944) and the Pishin Scouts (in 1946). After Pakistan and India became independent in 1947, Pakistan expanded the corps further by creating a number of new units, including the Thal Scouts, the Northern Scouts, the

Bajaur Scouts The Bajaur Scouts is a paramilitary regiment of the Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North) of Pakistan, recruited locally in Bajaur District and officered by regular Pakistan Army officers. The Scouts were previously the Bajaur Levies, a ...

, the Karakoram Scouts, the Kalat Scouts, the Dir Scouts and the Kohistan Scouts. British officers continued to serve in the Frontier Corps up to the early 1950s. The corps was split into two major subdivisions with FC Balochistan incorporating the Zhob Militia, the Sibi Scouts, the Kalat Scouts, the Makran Militia, the Kharan Rifles, the Pishin Scouts, the Chaghai Militia and the First Mahsud Scouts. In the mid-1970s, the Pakistani government used FC Balochistan to counter terrorism in Balochistan, and the force is unpopular among some of the local population who associate them with human rights violations and heavy-handed operations. To improve the image of the corps, it has been involved in the construction of schools and hospitals, although as of late 2004, corps installations in the province were being routinely attacked by terrorists. In 2007, after the collapse of truce agreements between the Pakistani government and local militants, the Frontier Corps, teamed with regular Pakistani military units, conducted incursions into tribal areas controlled by the militants. The effort produced a series of bloody and clumsy confrontations.Miller, Greg
"U.S. military aid to Pakistan misses its Al Qaeda target"
''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', November 5, 2007, accessed November 7, 2007. On 30 August 2007 about 250 troops, mostly from the Frontier Corps, surrendered to militants without a fight. In early November 2007, most were released in exchange for 25 militants held by the Pakistan Army. There is a widespread consensus among United States government military and intelligence experts that the Frontier Corps are the best potential military units against the Islamist militants because its troops are locally recruited, know local languages and understand local cultures. The United States provided more than US$7 billion in military aid to Pakistan from 2002 to 2007, most of which was used to equip the Frontier Corps because it is in the front line of the fight against the Islamist insurgents. From late 2007, the Pakistani government intended to expand the corps to 100,000 and use it more in fighting Islamist militants, particularly Al-Qaeda, after extensive consultations with the U.S. government, with a multi-year plan to bolster the effort, including the establishment of a counterinsurgency training centre. The US Obama policy for Pakistan was seen as a clear victory for the Pakistan Army lobby in the US. The $1.5 billion a year unrestricted aid recently announced will go a long way in seeing that the Frontier Corps stay at the height of their professional abilities due to new equipment and training. The Corps also fired occasionally on the U.S.-assisted

Afghan Army The Islamic National Army (, ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army, is the land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when the Ho ...

.Stockman, Farah
"Pakistan aid plan facing resistance / $300m requested for paramilitaries"
''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'', July 22, 2007, accessed November 7, 2007.

Role

* Border security duties. * Assist Army/FCNA in the defense of the country as and when required. * Protect important communication centers and routes. * Undertake counter militancy/criminal/terrorism operations on orders. * Assist law enforcement agencies in maintenance of law and order. * Safeguard important sites and assets During times of difficulties, the government occasionally gives the FC the power to arrest and detain suspects such as in late 2012 and early 2013 when the

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan (, Roman Urdu, romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Cabinet of Pakistan, cabinet, desp ...

granted the FC policing powers. These temporary powers can also be extended on the orders or consent of the provincial government or federal government or both.

Organisation

The Corps is led by an Inspector General, who is a seconded major general from the Pakistan Army. It has various supporting units.

Equipment

Basic Equipment

* GIDS Ballistic Helmet *Bullet Proof vests *GIDS Knee pads

Small Arms

* VSK-100: The VSK 100 is essentially a Belarusian version of the AKM. *

QBZ-95 The Type 95 automatic rifle () or QBZ-95 is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured by Norinco, and issued since 1995 as the service rifle for the People's Liberation Army, People's Armed Police, and various law enforcement in China, la ...

: Used by the Special Operations Group (SOG) anti-terrorist unit *

H&K G3 The Heckler & Koch G3 () is a select-fire battle rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO developed in the 1950s by the German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned firearms manufacturer CETME. The G3 ...

: POF Made G3 Battle Rifles *

AK-47 The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kala ...

: Multiple Variants in service * MG3: POF Made MG1A3 variant in service * PK-16: POF made Dshk heavy machine gun * Type-85: Chinese 12.7mm HMG *

RPG-7 The RPG-7 is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket launcher. The RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and are now manufactured by the Russian company Bazalt. The weapon has t ...

: Rocket Propelled Grenade * Type-79: Chinese variant of the Dragonuv Sniper rifle

Mortars and Artillery

* MO-120RT: 120mm Mortar * LLR-81 Mortar: 81mm Mortar

Vehicles

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado The is a full-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Land Cruiser range produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota as a "light-duty" variation in the range. "Prado" means meadow or field in Spanish and Portuguese. The Prado may also be referre ...

: VIP transport *

Toyota Hilux The , stylised as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as a pickup truck or cab chassis, although they coul ...

: Main Utility and troop/officer transport vehicle *

Land Rover Defender The Land Rover Defender (introduced as the Land Rover One Ten, joined in 1984 by the Land Rover Ninety, plus the extra-length Land Rover One Two Seven in 1985) is a series of British off-road cars and pick-up truck, pickup trucks. They have f ...

: Utility Vehicle * Mitsubishi L-200: Utility Vehicle * Hino Ranger: Troop/Supply transport

Armoured Vehicles

The Frontier Corps operates various HIT made armoured vehicles. * Mohafiz: Unknown numbers in service. * Type-59 Tank: Type-59II variant in service. Handed over to Frontier Corps by

* Type-69 Tank: Type-69IIMP Variant in service. Also handed over by Pakistan army. * T-55M: Modernized T-55 MBT. Number of Ex-Serbian units procured in 2020.

Aircraft

The Corps has access to the aviation resources of the Pakistan Army.

Inspectors general

The Corps was divided into FC NWFP and FC Balochistan in 1974. The inspectors general listed below are from 1974 to 2017. For previous inspectors general, see the

Frontier Corps The Frontier Corps (, reporting name: FC) are a group of four 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 b ...

article. # Maj. Gen. Rehmat Ali Shah (Mar. 1974 to Dec. 1976) # Brig. Shakur Jan, SJ (Fen 1977 to Jul 1978) # Maj. Gen. Alam Jan Mehsud (Jul 1978 to Jun 1980) # Maj. Gen. Khurshid Ali (Jun 1980 to Feb 1984) # Maj. Gen. M. Akram (Feb 1984 to Nov 1984) # Maj. Gen. Shafiq Ahmed, SJ (Nov 1984 to Apr 1985) # Maj. Gen. Sardar M. Khalid (May 1985 to Oct 1990) # Maj. Gen. Chaudhry M. Nawaz (Nov 1990 to Oct 1991) # Maj. Gen. Syed Zafar Mehdi (Oct 1991 to Nov 1993) # Maj. Gen. M. Zia-ul-Haq (Nov 1993 to Oct 1997) # Maj. Gen. Rafiullah Khan Niazi (Oct 1997 to Oct 1999) # Maj. Gen. M. Ziaullah Khan (Nov 1999 to Oct 2001) # Maj. Gen. Syed Sadaqat Ali Shah (Oct 2001 to Oct 2004) # Maj. Gen. Shujaat Zamir Dar (Oct 2004 to Feb 2007) # Brig. Khalid Mukhtar Farani ( A /IGFC 2006 due to injury of IG and DIG ) # Maj. Gen. Salim Nawaz (Mar 2007 to Oct 2010) # Maj. Gen. Ubaid Ullah Khan Khattak (Oct 2010 to Aug 2013) # Maj. Gen. Ejaz Shahid (Aug 2013 to Feb 2015) # Maj. Gen. Sher Afghun (Feb 2015 to Dec 2016) # Maj. Gen. Nadeem Anjum (Dec 2016- Dec 2018) In 2017 FC Balochistan was split into FC Balochistan (North) and FC Balochistan (South). # Maj. Gen. Saeed Ahmed Nagra (2017-2018) # Maj. Gen. Sardar Tariq Aman (2018 - Jan 2020) # Maj. Gen. Sarfaraz Ali (Jan 2020 - Dec 2020) # Maj. Gen. Ayman Bilal Safdar (Dec 2020 - Oct 2021) # Maj. Gen. Kamal Anwar Chaudhry (Oct 2021-Sept 2023) # Maj. Gen. Kamran Ahmad (Sept 2023—Sept 2024) # Maj. Gen. Bilal Sarfaraz (September 2024—Present)

Schools and colleges

Most of the FC educational institutes are affiliated with Federal board rather than provincial boards in Balochistan. * Lieutenant Safiullah Shaheed FC school, Nushki. (Chaghai Militia)

References

External links

Frontier Corps Balochistan
{{Authority control

* Civil Armed Forces Military in Balochistan, Pakistan