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Frontier Constabulary جمیعتِ سپاہیانِ سرحدی | |
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Common name | Frontier Constabulary |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1915 |
Employees | 33,000 |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | PAK |
Governing body | Ministry of Interior |
Constituting instruments |
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General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Corps Headquarters, Sunehri Masjid Road, Peshawar Cantt. |
Agency executive | |
Website | |
www |
The Frontier Constabulary (Urdu: جمیعتِ سپاہیانِ سرحدی) 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 responsible for maintaining law and order, and dealing with situations beyond the capabilities of the civilian Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. It also guards against tribal incursions, criminal gangs, and contraband smuggling.
The Frontier Constabulary was created in 1915 by amalgamating the Border Military Police (formed in 1852) and Samana Rifles (formed in 1879), during the British Raj. Both of the forces were guarding the border between the tribal areas and the then-settled areas of the North-West Frontier Province (after which it is named).
The Frontier Constabulary is often confused with Frontier Corps as both forces abbreviated as ''FC''. Frontier Corps are group of four paramilitary forces officered by the Pakistan Army. On other hand, Frontier Constabulary is officered by the Police Service of Pakistan.
The Frontier Constabulary was created as an independent Civil Armed Force, under the provisions of Frontier Constabulary Act, 1915. under this Act, Frontier Constabulary Rules 1958 were framed. This force is also under the administrative control of the Ministry of Interior. From an operational point of view, the functioning of this force is supervised by the Home departments of the respective provincial governments. The Frontier Constabulary, an armed police force, also operates in a small area bordering FATA and the settled districts. The KPK police does not have jurisdiction over FATA’s agencies or the Frontier Regions. Originally, it was aimed at stopping incursions and raids from the tribal areas. Now, its original function has been overshadowed by an increasing involvement in the internal security duties and protection of vital installation as well as embassies.[1]
The Frontier Constabulary is headed by the Commandant, the equivalent of Inspector General of Police (BPS-22 grade) and is popularly referred to as the CFC. The Deputy Commandant is equivalent of Deputy Inspector General of Police; a District Officer is equivalent of Senior Superintendent of Police and an Assistant District Officer is the equivalent of Assistant Superintendent of Police. The senior hierarchy of FC is drawn from the Police Service of Pakistan.[2]
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pakistan Frontier Constabulary |
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Commandant کمانڈنٹ |
Deputy commandant ڈپٹی کمانڈنٹ۔ |
District officer ضلعی افسر۔ |
Assistant district officer اسسٹنٹ ڈسٹرکٹ آفیسر۔ |
Rank group | Junior commissioned officers | Non commissioned officer | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pakistan Frontier Constabulary |
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inspector انسپکٹر |
Sub inspector سب انسپکٹر۔ |
Assistant sub inspector اسسٹنٹ سب انسپکٹر۔ |
Head Constable ہیڈ کانسٹیبل۔ |
Constable کانسٹیبل |
FC accomplishes its basic function by dividing the area of responsibility into F.C districts which in turn have an intricate network of Forts, Posts and Pickets located strategically along the tribal settled border. With the passage of time, and additional duties assigned to FC, the geographical area covered by FC also increased. At present there are 17 FC districts stretching from Gilgit in the extreme north to Karachi in the extreme South of the country. Thus in all the provinces of Pakistan, except Punjab, FC is performing its duties. However, various FC platoons have also been deployed in Punjab for the security of sensitive installations and VVIPs.[3]
Following are some major duties which are assigned to Frontier Constabulary: