abbreviation
An abbreviation () is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method including shortening (linguistics), shortening, contraction (grammar), contraction, initialism (which includes acronym), or crasis. An abbreviation may be a shortened for ...
: PCG) () is a
maritime law enforcement
Maritime law or admiralty law is a body of law that governs nautical issues and private maritime disputes. Admiralty law consists of both domestic law on maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between priv ...
agency of the
Civil Armed Forces
The Civil Armed Forces (CAF) are a group of nine paramilitary and gendarmerie organisations, separate and distinct from the regular Pakistan Armed Forces. They are responsible for maintaining internal security, helping law enforcement agencie ...
of Pakistan. It is managed and controlled 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 ...
anti-human trafficking
Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labor, sexual slavery, or oth ...
,
illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...
agency run by
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy (PN) (; ''romanized'': Pākistān Bahrí'a; ) is the naval warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Chief of the Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Com ...
. The PMSA conducts search and rescue operations at sea and helps to defend the coastal areas while conducting military operations for
maritime law
Maritime law or admiralty law is a body of law that governs nautical issues and private maritime disputes. Admiralty law consists of both domestic law on maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between pri ...
enforcement in national and
international waters
The terms international waters or transboundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water (or their drainage basins) transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed region ...
.
History
From 1947–60s, the Pakistan Customs had the law enforcement responsibility for the defense of land and sea based frontiers of Pakistan with the objective to prevent smuggling of contraband items into and from Pakistan. In 1971, the headquarters of the Coast Guard was established in Karachi with Pakistan Army's Brigadier Sajjad Husain becoming its first director-general.
Its constitutional status was granted through the Parliamentary procedures in 1972 and became a federal law enforcement agency in 1973 while remaining a branch with the Army. The Pakistan Coast Guards are responsible for maintaining the constitutional law at the Pakistan's beaches and patrolling the riverine platforms while the combat sea-based
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
missions, enforcement of admiralty law in the international waters, and preventing the armed piracy falls under the responsibility of the Maritime Security Agency (MSA).
Since then, it has upgraded its facilities and fleet to bolster its capabilities of littoral patrolling of the coast line. The Army's Coast Guard is headed by an appointed Major General who is formally known as Director General. The officers of the Force are seconded from the Army and Navy for a period of two to three years, while the troops are permanent. In addition to land based troops, the Coast Guards also maintains a small fleet of patrol boats to perform its sea-borne duties, although the operations in deep water and dangerous undertaking are conducted by its counterpart Maritime Security Agency (MSA) of Pakistan Navy.
The exact number of personnel and equipment held with Coast Guards remains classified. The Pakistan Coast Guards works under administrative control of Ministry of Interior in peace time whereas it will come under operational control of Pakistan Army in wartime situations.
Organization
Headquarters and Battalions
The Headquarters with its complements and PCG
Hospital
A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...
.
PCG Battalions are led by commandants with the rank of lieutenant colonel, appointment coming from the Army. The Battalions are located as follows:
* 1st Battalion, Windar
* 2nd Battalion,
Gwadar
Gwadar (, ) is a Port, port city on the southwestern coast of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan. The city is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, opposite Oman and has a populati ...
* 3rd Battalion,
Korangi
Korangi () is a neighborhood in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan located within Korangi District and Landhi Town.
* 4th Battalion, Pasni
* Field Intelligence Unit
The battalions are each subdivided into 3-4 companies (commanded by majors/captains seconded from the Army).
;Interior Ministry support
* Helicopters (Bell 206, Jet Ranger) from 50 Aviation Squadron
Marine Wing
Pakistan Coast Guards as a whole is spread all over to safeguard coastal belt of 1050 km as well as up to 12 NM Territorial Waters of Pakistan. Marine Wing of PCG is entrusted with the responsibility of 12 NM of territorial waters. The Marine Wing is based at Karachi and commanded by a commander of operation branch, seconded from Pakistan Navy. MW is equipped with Fast Patrol Crafts, lethal Interceptor Boats and other Utility Boats with latest equipment on board. MW has full facility to train its men in the relevant fields and able to conduct general and technical cadres. Marine Wing PCG has also established Search and Rescue Centre to safe the precious life in distress and to prevent property loss or damage.
Mounted Infantry Troop
AT Coy is based in Korangi with a Training Wing and is responsible for maintaining
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
s,
camel
A camel (from and () from Ancient Semitic: ''gāmāl'') is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provid ...
s and
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
for use in the field, as well as a
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
section. It is commanded by a seconded captain from the Remount, Veterinary and Farm Corps (RV&FC) of the Army.
Ranks
Roles of PCG
Anti-smuggling
To keep a check on smugglers and stop their activities of smuggling (inbound as well as outbound) through the sea routes. PCG Battalions have special check posts all along the coastal belt and also pickets the threatened areas randomly. In addition, ''The Intelligence Wing'' has a network of agents and informers and establish pickets in consultation with Commandants of the PCG Battalions when a potential smuggling activity is reported to take place. PCG has been equipped with modern communication and surveillance equipment; including
radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
s, to perform this task.
Human Trafficking
The Pakistan Coast Guard has in recent years, undertaken greater operations against drug & weapon and even human trafficking/smuggler networks operating in the coastal waters.
Counter Narcotics
PCG is responsible for narcotics control along Pakistan's coastline.
Fleet
* Fast
Patrol Boat
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval ship, naval vessel generally designed for Coastal defence and fortification, coastal defence, Border control, border security, or law ...
s (FPB)s - including
Rigid inflatable boat
A rigid inflatable boat (RIB), also rigid-hull inflatable boat or rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a rigid hull bottom joined to side-forming air tubes that are ...
Law enforcement in 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 ...