Pakistan Rangers
Pakistan Rangers پاکستان رینجرز | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | PR |
Motto | Ever Ready[1] |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1942 | (as Sindh Rifles)
Annual budget | Rs. 25.95 billion (2020)[2] |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Federal agency | Pakistan |
Operations jurisdiction | , Pakistan |
Governing body | Ministry of Interior |
Constituting instrument |
|
General nature | |
Specialist jurisdictions |
|
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | |
Agency executives |
|
Parent agency | Civil Armed Forces |
Website | |
pakistanrangerssindh pakistanrangers |
The Pakistan Rangers (
As part of the paramilitary Civil Armed Forces, the Rangers can be transferred to full operational control of the Pakistan Army in wartime and whenever Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan is invoked to provide "military aid to civil power". An example of this is the Sindh Rangers being deployed in Karachi to tackle rising crime and terrorism. Although these deployments are officially temporary because the provincial and federal governments have to allocate policing powers to the corps, they have in effect become permanent because of repeated renewal of those powers.
History
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 Rifles (SPR) which was commanded by British Indian Army officers. The force was established to fight the rebellious groups in sindh as the British government was engaged in World War II. Headquarters of this force was established in Miani Lines Pacca Barrack, Hyderabad Cantonment.
After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the name of the force was changed from "Sindh Police Rifles" to "Sindh Police Rangers" and the protection of 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 Police Rangers.
Because the Rangers were neither correctly structured nor outfitted for a specific duty, on 7 October 1958 they were restructured and renamed to the West Pakistan Rangers.[3] 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 with its headquarters at Lahore.
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
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.[4]
Wartime responsibilities
The
The Pakistan Rangers have participated in military exercises with the
Role
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.[9]
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.
Ranks
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pakistan Rangers |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Director general ڈائریکٹر جنرل |
Senior superintendent of the Rangers سینئر سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔ |
Superintendent of the Rangers سپرنٹنڈنٹ |
Deputy superintendent of the Rangers ڈپٹی سپرنٹنڈنٹ۔ |
Inspector انسپکٹر |
Direct Entry Sub inspector ڈائریکٹ انٹری سب انسپکٹر۔ |
Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | Non commissioned officer | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pakistan Rangers |
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior inspector سینئر انسپکٹر۔ |
Inspector انسپکٹر |
Sub inspector سب انسپکٹر۔ |
Havildar حوالدار۔ |
Naik نائیک۔ |
Lance Naik لانس نائیک۔ |
Sepoy سپاہی۔ |
Gallery
-
Pakistani Rangers guarding theIqbal Park, Lahore
-
Baba Chamliyal Mela at the Indo-Pakistani International Border, near Jammu.
-
IndianWagah-Attari border ceremony.
-
A Pakistani Ranger in ceremonial dress.
-
A Pakistani Ranger standing by in ceremonial dress.
-
A Pakistani Ranger during theWagah-Attari border ceremony.
-
Pakistani Rangers at the Wagah-Attari border crossing.
-
Punjab Rangers near the Indo-Pakistani border with G3 assault rifles.
See also
- United Nations peacekeeping missions involving Pakistan
- Civil Armed Forces
- National Guard (Pakistan)
- Pakistan Levies
References
- ^ Sandhu, Ijaz (6 September 2021). "Valiant Punjab Rangers in 65 War". The Nation. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Federal Budget 2020–2021: Details of demands for grants and appropriations" (PDF). National Assembly of Pakistan. p. 2531. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ a b Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959. punjablaws.gov.pk (Ordinance XIV). 1959. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ Pejek, Igor. Ljubic, Jovana (ed.). "Pakistan Rangers" (PDF). Strelok Analysis. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2017.
- Inter Services Public Relations. 2009. Archived from the originalon 24 August 2010.
- ^ "102 killed in Lal Masjid operation, Sherpao". Geo TV. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "How Pakistan academy attack started". BBC News. 30 March 2009.
- ^ Roggio, Bill (24 April 2009). "Rangers deployed to secure Islamabad outskirts". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
- ^ Asghar, Mohammad (17 December 2015). "Punjab withdraws Rangers from guard duties". Dawn.
External links
External video | |
---|---|
Pakistan Rangers song |