Law enforcement in Pakistan

Law enforcement in Pakistan (Urdu: ادارہ ہائی نفاذِ قانون، پاکستان‎; Devanagari: इदारा हाई नफ़ाज़े-क़ानून, पाकिस्तान ) constitutes one of the three primary components of the country's criminal justice system, alongside the judiciary and the prison system. Pakistan features a combination of federal, provincial, and territorial police forces that perform both general and specialised functions. The senior positions within all provincial forces, as well as most federal agencies, are typically filled by members of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP). The PSP is regarded as one of the most prestigious branches of the Central Superior Services, which is Pakistan's principal civil service organization. Federal law enforcement agencies are primarily supervised by the Ministry of Interior of the Government of Pakistan, while the provincial police forces are managed by respective departments of the provincial government.

Overview

Federal Law Enforcement

• Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation
• National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency
• National Highways and Motorway Police
• National Counter Terrorism Authority
• Animal Quarantine Department
• Department of Plant Protection
• Federal Investigation Agency
• Pakistan Railways Police
• Financial Monitoring Unit
• Airports Security Force
• Anti-Narcotics Force
• Pakistan Customs

Training and Policy

• National Academy for Prisons Administration
• National Police Academy
• National Police Bureau

Police Forces

• Islamabad Police
• Balochistan Police
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police
• Gilgit-Baltistan Police
• Azad Kashmir Police
• Sindh Police
• Punjab Police

Paramilitary forces

Main articles: Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps (Pakistan)

Provincial and territorial police

The four provinces of Pakistan—Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan—each maintain their own police force, structured to address the specific challenges of their respective regions and equipped with specialised and elite units. Each provincial police force is led by a Commissioner of Police, who serves as the Inspector-General and is a senior officer from the Police Service of Pakistan. Additionally, some provincial police forces receive regular support from federal paramilitary units operating within those areas. All provincial police forces include a Counter Terrorism Department and a Special Branch.

Traditionally, the uniform for Pakistani provincial police officers consists of a black shirt paired with tan trousers. In 2017, the police in Punjab adopted an olive green uniform but reverted to the traditional attire in 2019. By 2020, all provinces agreed to implement the uniform style worn in Islamabad, which features light blue or white shirts combined with dark blue trousers.

Balochistan

• The Balochistan Police operates across 7 districts within the Balochistan province.
• The Balochistan Constabulary serves as a reserve police unit for the Balochistan Police.
• The Balochistan Levies is a paramilitary police force that functions in 23 out of Balochistan's 30 districts.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police is the primary civilian police force in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
• The Reserve Frontier Police acts as the reserve unit for the KP Police.
• The Special Combat Unit is designated for counter-terrorism operations.
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Levies, comprising 11,739 personnel, are organized by provincial or local governments to enhance security in their respective areas. This includes units such as:
  • Dir Levies
  • Malakand Levies
• The Levies and Khasadar Forces have been integrated into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police or have been pensioned off.

Punjab

• The Punjab Police operates within the Punjab province.
• The Dolphin Force is tasked with addressing street crime.
• The Elite Police conducts counter-terrorism operations.
• The Police Qaumi Razakars act as a support force for the Punjab Police in their various responsibilities.
• Punjab Highway Patrol is responsible for patrolling highways.
• Punjab Prisons oversees the management of 43 prisons within the province.

Sindh

• The Sindh Police operates within the Sindh province.
• The Special Security Unit (SSU) is a specialized counterterrorism and security unit based in Karachi, with operational jurisdiction extending throughout Sindh. The SSU was established in 2010 as a response to the rising rates of terrorism in the region.

Territories

Islamabad

Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, has its own police force known as the Islamabad Police, which includes subordinate units such as the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP).

Azad Kashmir

The Azad Kashmir Police operates in the semi-autonomous region of Azad Kashmir, responsible for maintaining law and order in that area.

Gilgit-Baltistan

The Gilgit-Baltistan Police functions within the semi-autonomous Gilgit-Baltistan region, providing law enforcement and security services.

Police Service of Pakistan (PSP)

Police Service of Pakistan
Common name	Pakistan Police
Abbreviation	PSP
Agency overview
Formed	1948
Preceding agency	Indian Imperial Police
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	PAK
Governing body	Ministry of Interior
General nature	Civilian police
Notables
Award	Police honorary ribbon