The
Chief of the Army Staff, formerly called the Commander
in Chief, is charged with the responsibility of commanding
the Pakistan Army. The COAS operates from army headquarters
in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. The Principal Staff
Officers assisting him in his duties at the Lieutenant
General level include a Chief of General Staff, under
whom the Military Operations and Intelligence Directorates
function; the Chief of Logistics Staff; the Adjutant
General; the Quarter-Master General; the Inspector
General of Training and Evaluation; and the Military
Secretary. The total active manpower is around 900,000
personnel. There is also a Para-military forces with
185,000 National guards, 65,000 frontier guards, 30,000
Pakistani rangers, 2,100 Coast guards.
The Land forces of the Pakistani army is around 550,000
soldiers, and a reserve force with 520,000 soldiers
with the structure:
- 9 Corps HQs
- 17 infantry divisions
- 2 armoured divisions
- 2 artillery divisions
- 7 independent armoured brigades
- 1 independent mechanised brigade
- 6 independent infantry brigades
- 4 independent artillery brigades
- 1 air defense command
- 7 engineer brigades
- 3 armoured reconnaissance regiments
- 1 Special Services Group (3 battalions, 1 independent
counter-terrorist company)