Editing Pakistan Armed Forces (section)

===Paramilitary forces===
{{main|Civil Armed Forces|Pakistan National Guard}}

==== Civil Armed Forces ====
The [[Civil Armed Forces]] (CAF) of Pakistan comprise several paramilitary organizations, separate and functionally distinct from the regular Pakistan Armed Forces. Operating under the purview of the Ministry of Interior in peacetime, the CAF shoulders the crucial responsibility of maintaining internal security. This encompasses assisting civilian law enforcement agencies in tasks like crime prevention, border control and public order maintenance. The CAF additionally plays a vital role in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, along with tackling anti-smuggling activities. During natural disasters, the CAF collaborates closely with the military to provide relief and support. In times of war, the CAF falls under the direct command of the [[Ministry of Defence (Pakistan)|Ministry of Defence]] and the Pakistan Armed Forces. Estimates from 2024 place the strength of the CAF at approximately 291,000 personnel.<ref>The Military Balance 2010, p. 367, International Institute for Strategic Studies (London, 2010).</ref> With the exception of the Frontier Constabulary, command positions within the CAF are typically filled by officers on secondment from the Pakistan Army.

==== Pakistan National Guard ====
Pakistan National Guard is a [[military reserve force]] and a component of the [[Pakistan Army]]. Functioning as a "second line of defense" alongside the Pakistan Army Reserve and the [[Civil Armed Forces]], the National Guard's primary roles include internal security, disaster relief and wartime support for the regular army. Established on 1 January 1948, it comprises approximately 185,000 personnel with its headquarters at the [[General Headquarters (Pakistan Army)|General Headquarters (GHQ)]] in [[Rawalpindi]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cheema |first1=Pervaiz I. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CX6xCwAAQBAJ |title=Pakistan's Defence Policy 1947-58 |last2=Riemer |first2=Manuel |date=1990-08-22 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-349-20942-2 |language=en}}</ref>