Created Northern Light Infantry Regiment |
m minor reworked layout per standard format also and corrected details for clarity |
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| image_size = 240px | | image_size = 240px | ||
| caption = Regimental cap badge of the NLI. | | caption = Regimental cap badge of the NLI. | ||
| dates = | | dates = 1975–present (originally founded in 1913 as the [[Gilgit Scouts]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[British Raj|British India]]) | ||
| country = {{flag|Pakistan}} | | country = {{flag|Pakistan}} | ||
| allegiance = | | allegiance = | ||
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| type = [[Light infantry]] | | type = [[Light infantry]] | ||
| role = [[Mountain warfare]] | | role = [[Mountain warfare]] | ||
| size = [[Northern Light Infantry Regiment#Units|18 battalions]] | |||
| command_structure = | | command_structure = | ||
| garrison = [[Gilgit|Gilgit, Pakistan]] | | garrison = [[Gilgit|Gilgit, Pakistan]] | ||
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*{{small|[[Soviet–Afghan War]]}} | *{{small|[[Soviet–Afghan War]]}} | ||
**{{small|[[Operation Cyclone]]}} | **{{small|[[Operation Cyclone]]}} | ||
**{{small|[[Spillover of Soviet - Afghan war in Pakistan]]}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
| anniversaries = | | anniversaries = | ||
| decorations = | | decorations = | ||
| battle_honours = <!-- Commanders --> | | battle_honours = <!-- Commanders --> | ||
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff (Pakistan).svg|size=24px}} [[ | | commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff (Pakistan).svg|size=24px}} [[Field marshal (Pakistan)|Field Marshal]] [[Asim Munir (general)|Syed Asim Munir Ahmad Shah]] | ||
| commander1_label = [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] | | commander1_label = [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] | ||
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg|size=24px}} [[Lieutenant general|Lt. Gen.]] Anwar Ali Haider | | commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg|size=24px}} [[Lieutenant general|Lt. Gen.]] Anwar Ali Haider | ||
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}} | }} | ||
The '''Northern Light Infantry Regiment''' ('''NLI''') is a [[light infantry]] [[regiment]] in the [[Pakistan Army]], based and currently headquartered in [[Gilgit]], [[Pakistan]]. Along with other forces of the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistani military]], the NLI has the primary responsibility of conducting ground operations in the interest of defending the strategically-important territory of [[Gilgit-Baltistan|Gilgit−Baltistan]], a Pakistani-controlled region that constitutes part of [[Kashmir]], which has been [[Kashmir conflict|disputed]] between Pakistan and [[India]] since 1947. The NLI draws a majority of its recruits from native [[ | The '''Northern Light Infantry Regiment''' ('''NLI''') is a [[light infantry]] [[regiment]] in the [[Pakistan Army]], based and currently headquartered in [[Gilgit]], [[Pakistan]]. Along with other forces of the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistani military]], the NLI has the primary responsibility of conducting ground operations in the interest of defending the strategically-important territory of [[Gilgit-Baltistan|Gilgit−Baltistan]], a Pakistani-controlled region that constitutes part of [[Kashmir]], which has been [[Kashmir conflict|disputed]] between Pakistan and [[India]] since 1947. The NLI draws a majority of its recruits from native [[tribe]]s present in the nearby mountainous areas who are reportedly less prone to altitude sickness and the cold temperatures that characterize [[Mountain warfare|high-altitude mountain warfare]], allowing the regiment to conduct its duties optimally.<ref name="global security"/>{{better source needed|date=November 2020}} | ||
The Northern Light Infantry is best known for the extensive assistance and training it provided to the [[Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen|Afghan mujahideen]] (with backing from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] and [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]]) during the [[Soviet–Afghan War]].<ref name="Murphy2013">{{citation|last=Murphy|first=Eamon|title=The Making of Terrorism in Pakistan: Historical and Social Roots of Extremism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=19mPVOBZ_9YC&pg=PA127|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-56526-4|pages=127–}}</ref> | The Northern Light Infantry is best known for the extensive assistance and training it provided to the [[Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen|Afghan mujahideen]] (with backing from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] and [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]]) during the [[Soviet–Afghan War]].<ref name="Murphy2013">{{citation|last=Murphy|first=Eamon|title=The Making of Terrorism in Pakistan: Historical and Social Roots of Extremism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=19mPVOBZ_9YC&pg=PA127|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-56526-4|pages=127–}}</ref> | ||
==Formation== | ==Formation== | ||
{{Further|Gilgit Scouts}} | |||
The Northern Light Infantry has its origins in the [[Gilgit Scouts]] raised by [[British Raj|British India]] in 1913 for defending the [[princely state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]'s northern frontier. The Scouts, along with rebels in the [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles|Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]], fought for [[Dominion of Pakistan|Pakistan]] on the northern front of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948|First Kashmir War]], conquering important points of interest such as [[Skardu]], [[Kargil]] and [[Drass, Ladakh|Drass]] (the latter two were subsequently captured by the [[Indian Army]]). In 1949, the Gilgit Scouts were split into two forces, with the wing under the original name 'Gilgit Scouts' designated for internal security operations, and a second wing, named the 'Northern Scouts', designated for major external operations. In 1964, the Northern Scouts were further bifurcated with the raising of the 'Karakoram Scouts' based in Skardu. All three forces were brought together again in 1975, under the banner of the [[Northern Light Infantry]] (then a paramilitary force). Following the 1999 [[Kargil War]] with India, where the Northern Light Infantry saw extensive combat, the force was converted into a regular [[regiment]] of the [[Pakistan Army]].<ref name=NLI>[https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325234959/https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 |date=2018-03-25 }}, Pakistan Army, retrieved 25 March 2018.</ref><ref name="GB Scouts">[http://www.gilgitbaltistanscouts.gov.pk/gbs%20history.htm History of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts], Gilgit Baltistan Scouts, retrieved 6 April 2018.</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Snedden |first=Christopher |title=Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s5KMCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA255 |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-1-84904-342-7 |ref={{sfnref|Snedden, Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|2015}} |page=255}}</ref> | The Northern Light Infantry has its origins in the [[Gilgit Scouts]] raised by [[British Raj|British India]] in 1913 for defending the [[princely state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]'s northern frontier. The Scouts, along with rebels in the [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles|Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]], fought for [[Dominion of Pakistan|Pakistan]] on the northern front of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948|First Kashmir War]], conquering important points of interest such as [[Skardu]], [[Kargil]] and [[Drass, Ladakh|Drass]] (the latter two were subsequently captured by the [[Indian Army]]). In 1949, the Gilgit Scouts were split into two forces, with the wing under the original name 'Gilgit Scouts' designated for internal security operations, and a second wing, named the 'Northern Scouts', designated for major external operations. In 1964, the Northern Scouts were further bifurcated with the raising of the 'Karakoram Scouts' based in Skardu. All three forces were brought together again in 1975, under the banner of the [[Northern Light Infantry]] (then a paramilitary force). Following the 1999 [[Kargil War]] with India, where the Northern Light Infantry saw extensive combat, the force was converted into a regular [[regiment]] of the [[Pakistan Army]].<ref name=NLI>[https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325234959/https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/AWPReview/TextContent.aspx?pId=162 |date=2018-03-25 }}, Pakistan Army, retrieved 25 March 2018.</ref><ref name="GB Scouts">[http://www.gilgitbaltistanscouts.gov.pk/gbs%20history.htm History of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts], Gilgit Baltistan Scouts, retrieved 6 April 2018.</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Snedden |first=Christopher |title=Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s5KMCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA255 |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-1-84904-342-7 |ref={{sfnref|Snedden, Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|2015}} |page=255}}</ref> | ||
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Upon its founding, the Northern Light Infantry regiment was to function as a [[Civil Armed Forces|paramilitary force]], at par with the [[Pakistan Rangers]] and [[Frontier Corps]], under the jurisdiction of the [[Ministry of Interior (Pakistan)|Ministry of Interior]] and commanded by regular [[Pakistan Army]] officers. In 1967 and 1970, two battalions of the NLI were airlifted and deployed to [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], for internal security duties such as riot control and aiding civil authorities during an [[Elections in Pakistan|election-related]] period of violence. The regiment's performance during this time earned them a commendation from [[Ayub Khan (general)|Field Marshal Ayub Khan]]. | Upon its founding, the Northern Light Infantry regiment was to function as a [[Civil Armed Forces|paramilitary force]], at par with the [[Pakistan Rangers]] and [[Frontier Corps]], under the jurisdiction of the [[Ministry of Interior (Pakistan)|Ministry of Interior]] and commanded by regular [[Pakistan Army]] officers. In 1967 and 1970, two battalions of the NLI were airlifted and deployed to [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], for internal security duties such as riot control and aiding civil authorities during an [[Elections in Pakistan|election-related]] period of violence. The regiment's performance during this time earned them a commendation from [[Ayub Khan (general)|Field Marshal Ayub Khan]]. | ||
By 1998, the NLI consisted of | By 1998, the NLI consisted of 13 battalions commanded by a [[Major general|Major-General]] of the Pakistan Army under the designation of [[Inspector general|Inspector-General]] of the NLI, whose office was the Inspectorate-General of NLI reporting to the [[X Corps (Pakistan)|GOC, X Corps]] as well as the Pakistani Interior Minister. | ||
== Notable operations == | == Notable operations == | ||
=== First Kashmir war (1947–1948) === | |||
{{Further|First Kashmir war}} | |||
Muhammad Baber Khan, the Honorary Captain, fought in the 1947–1948 Kashmir War. The [[British government of India|British government]] gave the [[Hari Singh|Maharaja of Kashmir]] control over Gilgit Agency upon partition. At Gilgit, Brigadier Ghansara Singh arrived to assume the role of Governor. Major General H L Scott, the [[Kashmir conflict|Kashmiri]] chief of military staff, later joined as well. The [[Gilgit Scouts]], who were all Muslim, supported [[Pakistan|Pakistan's]] entry. Honorary Captain Muhammad Baber Khan convened a meeting of [[Gilgit Scouts|Gilgit scouts]] junior commissioned officers in the junior commissioned officers' mess on October 31, 1947, in the afternoon. At this meeting, it was resolved to overthrow the [[Dogra dynasty|dogra rule]]. | |||
The governor gave himself up on November 1, 1947. The Muslim company of Captain Hassan Khan's 6 Jammu Kahmir infantry battalion, which was traveling from [[Bunji, Pakistan|Bunji]] to [[Gilgit]], joined the scouts as well. The scouts set Partab Bridge on fire and attacked, destroying the dogra check post. After deserting, the Sikh and dogra components were apprehended. Consequently, 27000 square miles were freed from Dogra Raj. Major Muhammad Tufail Shaheed (Nishan-i-Haider), Honorary Captain Muhammad Baber Khan of the 1st Northern Light Infantory Regiment, who was instrumental in the 1947 fight of liberation from [[Dogra dynasty|Dogra Raj]], was then assigned as the force's commander.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) – Pakistan Army |url=https://pakarmy.com.pk/northern-light-infantry-regiment/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108161941/https://pakarmy.com.pk/northern-light-infantry-regiment/ |archive-date=2024-01-08 |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=pakarmy.com. |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Northern Light Infantry Regiment |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/rgt-nli.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108163506/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/rgt-nli.htm |archive-date=2024-01-08 |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=www.globalsecurity.org}}</ref> | |||
=== Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989) === | === Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989) === | ||
{{Further|Soviet–Afghan War}}Following the [[Soviet Union]]'s invasion of [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] in 1979, the [[United States]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Israel]] launched [[Operation Cyclone]], in which they financed and armed the [[Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen|Afghan mujahideen]] to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a [[Soviet satellite state]] and subsequently threaten Pakistan (a [[Western Bloc|U.S. ally]] in the [[Cold War]]). Here, with primarily [[Saudi Arabia | {{Further|Soviet–Afghan War}}Following the [[Soviet Union]]'s invasion of [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] in 1979, the [[United States]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Israel]] launched [[Operation Cyclone]], in which they financed and armed the [[Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen|Afghan mujahideen]] to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a [[Soviet satellite state]] and subsequently threaten Pakistan (a [[Western Bloc|U.S. ally]] in the [[Cold War]]). Here, with primarily [[Saudi Arabia]]n and American financing, the Northern Light Infantry trained Afghan mujahideen fighters in [[Gilgit-Baltistan|Gilgit−Baltistan]] before sending them back to Afghanistan with [[State of the art|state-of-the-art]] armaments to fight the [[Soviet Armed Forces|Soviet military]]. | ||
===Siachen Glacier Conflict (1984–2003)=== | ===Siachen Glacier Conflict (1984–2003)=== | ||
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===Kargil War (1999)=== | ===Kargil War (1999)=== | ||
{{Further|Kargil War}} | {{Further|Kargil War}}In May 1999, Pakistan began operations to occupy key Indian forward posts along the [[Line of Control|Line of Control (LoC)]], sparking the [[Kargil War]]. Initially [[Pakistan Army]] denied any involvement in the war.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-07-26|title=Kargil: The forgotten victims of the world's highest war|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49101016|access-date=2021-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kamath|first=P.M.|date=2000|title=Pakistan after the Kargil Crisis : Implications for India|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41960891|journal=Indian Journal of Asian Affairs|volume=13|issue=1/2|pages=123–132|jstor=41960891|issn=0970-6402}}</ref> However, later on, it was reported that the [[Pakistan Army]] had launched forces exclusively from the Northern Light Infantry during this conflict. These included the [[5th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|5th]], [[6th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|6th]], [[8th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|8th]] and [[12th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|12th]] battalions in full strength and some elements of the [[3rd Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|3rd]], [[4th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|4th]], [[7th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|7th]] and [[11th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment|11th]] battalions with the paramilitary [[Chitral Scouts|Chitral]] and [[Bajaur Scouts]], both of the [[Frontier Corps]], deployed for [[Military logistics|logistical support]].<ref name="global security" /> | ||
Massive Indian counterattack coupled with heavy diplomatic pressure from the [[United States]] forced Pakistan to begin a withdrawal after months of intense fighting. Pakistani casualties during this conflict, like those of other Indo−Pakistani conflicts, remain disputed and unconfirmed. International sources (such as those from the [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]]) place Pakistani casualties at around 700+. After 11 years, Pakistan officially reported that around 453 of its soldiers were killed during the conflict.<ref name="HT_Times_26_July_2011">{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kargil-vijay-diwas-day-to-mark-india-s-victory-in-1999-conflict-against-pakistan/story-x2cUNDgKxoQPxrzKEmoK4J.html|title=Kargil Vijay Diwas: Day to mark India's victory in 1999 conflict against Pakistan|date=26 July 2011|newspaper=Hindustan Times}}</ref> PM [[Nawaz Sharif]] and some other sources placed the Pakistani casualties figure from 2,700 to 4,000 personnel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/17/stories/2003081702900800.htm|title=Over 4,000 soldiers killed in Kargil: Sharif|work=The Hindu|date=3 October 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003114303/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/17/stories/2003081702900800.htm|archive-date=2003-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Khan|first=M. Ilyas|date=2019-07-26|title=The forgotten victims of the world's highest war|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49101016|access-date=2020-08-03}}</ref><ref name="Tavares2006">{{cite book|last1=Tavares|first1=Rodrigo|title=Understanding Regional Peace and Security|date=2006|publisher=Göteborg University|isbn=978-9187380679|page=297|quote=the US State Department quoted the Pakistani military casualties at 700, whereas Indian sources reported the Pakistani casualties to be 1000+. According to the then PM Nawaz Sharif (quoted in Gulf News, February 2002), the entire Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan was wiped out during the conflict claiming 2,700 lives.}}</ref><ref name=pib>{{cite web|last=Chakraborty|first=A. K.|title=Kargil War Brings into Sharp Focus India's Commitment to Peace|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2000/fjul2000/f210720001.html|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]], Government of India|access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://164.100.24.208/lsq/quest.asp?qref=51302|title=Breakdown of casualties into Officers, JCOs, and Other Ranks|work=[[Parliament of India]] Website|access-date=20 May 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202045832/http://164.100.24.208/lsq/quest.asp?qref=51302|archive-date=2 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="rollofhonor">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianarmy.nic.in/martyrs/home.jsp?operation=28&hidrecord=10&FormBugs_Page=1#Form|title=Complete Roll of Honour of Indian Army's Killed in Action during Op Vijay|work=Indian Army|access-date=20 May 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071222013826/http://www.indianarmy.nic.in/martyrs/home.jsp?operation=28&hidrecord=10&FormBugs_Page=1#Form |archive-date = 22 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="toi">{{Cite news|title=Pak lost 2,700 men in Kargil war: Sharif|work=[[The Times of India]]|agency=Press Trust of India|publication-date=6 July 2006|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-lost-2700-men-in-Kargil-war-Sharif/articleshow/1711896.cms|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> | Massive Indian counterattack coupled with heavy diplomatic pressure from the [[United States]] forced Pakistan to begin a withdrawal after months of intense fighting in what was an ignominious defeat for Pakistan. Also, Pakistani casualties during this conflict, like those of other Indo−Pakistani conflicts and true to well known Pakistani character, remain disputed and unconfirmed. | ||
At least hundred dead Pakistani soldiers were given respectful burial by Indian Army as Pakistan Army had disowned its own dead soldiers. International sources (such as those from the [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]]) place Pakistani casualties at around 700+. After 11 years, Pakistan officially reported that around 453 of its soldiers were killed during the conflict.<ref name="HT_Times_26_July_2011">{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kargil-vijay-diwas-day-to-mark-india-s-victory-in-1999-conflict-against-pakistan/story-x2cUNDgKxoQPxrzKEmoK4J.html|title=Kargil Vijay Diwas: Day to mark India's victory in 1999 conflict against Pakistan|date=26 July 2011|newspaper=Hindustan Times}}</ref> PM [[Nawaz Sharif]] and some other sources placed the Pakistani casualties figure from 2,700 to 4,000 personnel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/17/stories/2003081702900800.htm|title=Over 4,000 soldiers killed in Kargil: Sharif|work=The Hindu|date=3 October 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003114303/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/17/stories/2003081702900800.htm|archive-date=2003-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Khan|first=M. Ilyas|date=2019-07-26|title=The forgotten victims of the world's highest war|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49101016|access-date=2020-08-03}}</ref><ref name="Tavares2006">{{cite book|last1=Tavares|first1=Rodrigo|title=Understanding Regional Peace and Security|date=2006|publisher=Göteborg University|isbn=978-9187380679|page=297|quote=the US State Department quoted the Pakistani military casualties at 700, whereas Indian sources reported the Pakistani casualties to be 1000+. According to the then PM Nawaz Sharif (quoted in Gulf News, February 2002), the entire Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan was wiped out during the conflict claiming 2,700 lives.}}</ref><ref name=pib>{{cite web|last=Chakraborty|first=A. K.|title=Kargil War Brings into Sharp Focus India's Commitment to Peace|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2000/fjul2000/f210720001.html|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]], Government of India|access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://164.100.24.208/lsq/quest.asp?qref=51302|title=Breakdown of casualties into Officers, JCOs, and Other Ranks|work=[[Parliament of India]] Website|access-date=20 May 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202045832/http://164.100.24.208/lsq/quest.asp?qref=51302|archive-date=2 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="rollofhonor">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianarmy.nic.in/martyrs/home.jsp?operation=28&hidrecord=10&FormBugs_Page=1#Form|title=Complete Roll of Honour of Indian Army's Killed in Action during Op Vijay|work=Indian Army|access-date=20 May 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071222013826/http://www.indianarmy.nic.in/martyrs/home.jsp?operation=28&hidrecord=10&FormBugs_Page=1#Form |archive-date = 22 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="toi">{{Cite news|title=Pak lost 2,700 men in Kargil war: Sharif|work=[[The Times of India]]|agency=Press Trust of India|publication-date=6 July 2006|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-lost-2700-men-in-Kargil-war-Sharif/articleshow/1711896.cms|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> | |||
===Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2004–present)=== | ===Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2004–present)=== | ||
{{Further|Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}} | {{Further|Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}} | ||
The regiment has been taking part in counter-insurgency operations in [[North-West Pakistan]]. On 12 June 2013, the commanding officer of the 11th NLI battalion was killed in an [[Improvised explosive device|IED]] attack during a [[Operation Rah-e-Shahadat|military operation]] in [[Tirah Valley]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Shinwari|first=Ibrahim|date=13 June 2013|title=Army officer killed in Tirah valley blast|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1017883/army-officer-killed-in-tirah-valley-blast|url-status=live|work=Dawn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710155017/https://www.dawn.com/news/1017883/army-officer-killed-in-tirah-valley-blast|archive-date=10 July 2013|access-date=16 June 2013}}</ref> | The regiment has been taking part in counter-insurgency operations in [[North-West Pakistan]]. On 12 June 2013, the commanding officer of the 11th NLI battalion was killed in an [[Improvised explosive device|IED]] attack during a [[Operation Rah-e-Shahadat|military operation]] in [[Tirah Valley]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Shinwari|first=Ibrahim|date=13 June 2013|title=Army officer killed in Tirah valley blast|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1017883/army-officer-killed-in-tirah-valley-blast|url-status=live|work=Dawn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710155017/https://www.dawn.com/news/1017883/army-officer-killed-in-tirah-valley-blast|archive-date=10 July 2013|access-date=16 June 2013}}</ref> Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas Shaheed who received a commission in the Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan Army in 2020, was killed in an IED blast in the [[Kurram District]] on 18 June, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=BR Web |date=2024-06-21 |title=Five soldiers martyred in Kurram IED blast: ISPR |url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40309258 |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=Brecorder |language=en}}</ref> | ||
===Insurgency in Balochistan (2003–present)=== | |||
{{Further|Insurgency in Balochistan}} | |||
According to some sources, NLI regiments have been posted and involved in [[Counterinsurgency|counter insurgency]] operations in [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] against [[Baloch Nationalism|Baloch separatist groups]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan: 13 Security Personnel Killed by Unidentified Men in Balochistan |url=https://www.news18.com/world/pakistan-13-security-personnel-killed-by-unidentified-men-in-balochistan-8647443.html |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-11-12 |title=Pakistan: BLA Blowback In Baluchistan ? Analysis |url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/12112024-pakistan-bla-blowback-in-baluchistan-analysis/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250524211104/https://www.eurasiareview.com/12112024-pakistan-bla-blowback-in-baluchistan-analysis/ |archive-date=2025-05-24 |access-date=2025-09-10 |work=Eurasia Review |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
==Units== | ==Units== | ||
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* 5th Battalion (Defenders of K2)(Proud Five) | * 5th Battalion (Defenders of K2)(Proud Five) | ||
* 6th Battalion (Sikkis Saifullah)<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2 May 2018 |title=Martyrs of 2012 Gayari avalanche honoured in Siachen |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/193779-ceremony-held-in-gayari-to-pay-tribute-to-martyrs-ispr |publisher=[[Geo News]] |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> | * 6th Battalion (Sikkis Saifullah)<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2 May 2018 |title=Martyrs of 2012 Gayari avalanche honoured in Siachen |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/193779-ceremony-held-in-gayari-to-pay-tribute-to-martyrs-ispr |publisher=[[Geo News]] |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> | ||
* 7th Battalion | * 7th Battalion (Indus Guards) | ||
* 8th Battalion (Koh Shikan) | * 8th Battalion (Koh Shikan) | ||
* 9th Battalion (Barqdam Battalion) | * 9th Battalion (Barqdam Battalion) | ||
| Line 116: | Line 127: | ||
* 11th Battalion (Skarchin) | * 11th Battalion (Skarchin) | ||
* 12th Battalion (Haideran Haideran)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/MTI3OQ==.html |title=Spirits Rekindled – Joint Staff Pakistan Day Parade - 2015 |last=Tariq |first=Sardar Muhammad |first2=Asif Jehangir |last2=Raja |website=Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref> | * 12th Battalion (Haideran Haideran)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/MTI3OQ==.html |title=Spirits Rekindled – Joint Staff Pakistan Day Parade - 2015 |last=Tariq |first=Sardar Muhammad |first2=Asif Jehangir |last2=Raja |website=Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref> | ||
* 13th Battalion ( | * 13th Battalion (Shingo Tigers) | ||
* 14th Battalion (Shujan Battalion)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/MzE1Mg==.html |title= Long Live Pakistan: Joint Services Pakistan Day Parade 23rd March 2019 |last=Iqbal |first=M. Javed |website=Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=gazette20201216>{{cite web |url=http://pcp.gov.pk/SiteImage/Downloads/Issue-51%20Dated%2016-12-2020.pdf |title=The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II. |publisher=Government of Pakistan |date=16 December 2020 |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref>{{rp|601}} | * 14th Battalion (Shujan Battalion)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/MzE1Mg==.html |title= Long Live Pakistan: Joint Services Pakistan Day Parade 23rd March 2019 |last=Iqbal |first=M. Javed |website=Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=gazette20201216>{{cite web |url=http://pcp.gov.pk/SiteImage/Downloads/Issue-51%20Dated%2016-12-2020.pdf |title=The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II. |publisher=Government of Pakistan |date=16 December 2020 |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref>{{rp|601}} | ||
* 15th Battalion (The First) | * 15th Battalion (The First) | ||
* 16th Battalion | * 16th Battalion | ||
* 17th Battalion ( | * 17th Battalion (Sekinchan battalion)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pcp.gov.pk/SiteImage/Downloads/Issue-4%20Dated%2027-01-2021.pdf |title=The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II. |publisher=Government of Pakistan |date=27 January 2021 |page=21 |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref> | ||
* 18th Battalion (Al Azb) | * 18th Battalion (Al Azb) | ||
Latest revision as of 02:04, 8 February 2026
| Northern Light Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Regimental cap badge of the NLI. | |
| Active | 1975–present (originally founded in 1913 as the Gilgit Scouts in Jammu and Kashmir, British India) |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Branch |  Pakistan Army |
| Type | Light infantry |
| Role | Mountain warfare |
| Size | 18 battalions |
| Headquarters | Gilgit, Pakistan |
| Colours | |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Army Staff |  Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmad Shah |
| Colonel Commandant | Lt. Gen. Anwar Ali Haider |
| Regimental Flag |  |
The Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) is a light infantry regiment in the Pakistan Army, based and currently headquartered in Gilgit, Pakistan. Along with other forces of the Pakistani military, the NLI has the primary responsibility of conducting ground operations in the interest of defending the strategically-important territory of Gilgit−Baltistan, a Pakistani-controlled region that constitutes part of Kashmir, which has been disputed between Pakistan and India since 1947. The NLI draws a majority of its recruits from native tribes present in the nearby mountainous areas who are reportedly less prone to altitude sickness and the cold temperatures that characterize high-altitude mountain warfare, allowing the regiment to conduct its duties optimally.[1][better source needed]
The Northern Light Infantry is best known for the extensive assistance and training it provided to the Afghan mujahideen (with backing from the CIA and ISI) during the Soviet–Afghan War.[2]
Formation[edit | edit source]
The Northern Light Infantry has its origins in the Gilgit Scouts raised by British India in 1913 for defending the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir's northern frontier. The Scouts, along with rebels in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, fought for Pakistan on the northern front of the First Kashmir War, conquering important points of interest such as Skardu, Kargil and Drass (the latter two were subsequently captured by the Indian Army). In 1949, the Gilgit Scouts were split into two forces, with the wing under the original name 'Gilgit Scouts' designated for internal security operations, and a second wing, named the 'Northern Scouts', designated for major external operations. In 1964, the Northern Scouts were further bifurcated with the raising of the 'Karakoram Scouts' based in Skardu. All three forces were brought together again in 1975, under the banner of the Northern Light Infantry (then a paramilitary force). Following the 1999 Kargil War with India, where the Northern Light Infantry saw extensive combat, the force was converted into a regular regiment of the Pakistan Army.[3][4][5]
A new paramilitary force was created in 2003 under the name Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts to fill the internal security role of the former Gilgit Scouts.[4]
Status and composition[edit | edit source]
 | This section does not cite any sources. (December 2016) |
Upon its founding, the Northern Light Infantry regiment was to function as a paramilitary force, at par with the Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior and commanded by regular Pakistan Army officers. In 1967 and 1970, two battalions of the NLI were airlifted and deployed to Karachi, Sindh, for internal security duties such as riot control and aiding civil authorities during an election-related period of violence. The regiment's performance during this time earned them a commendation from Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
By 1998, the NLI consisted of 13 battalions commanded by a Major-General of the Pakistan Army under the designation of Inspector-General of the NLI, whose office was the Inspectorate-General of NLI reporting to the GOC, X Corps as well as the Pakistani Interior Minister.
Notable operations[edit | edit source]
First Kashmir war (1947–1948)[edit | edit source]
Muhammad Baber Khan, the Honorary Captain, fought in the 1947–1948 Kashmir War. The British government gave the Maharaja of Kashmir control over Gilgit Agency upon partition. At Gilgit, Brigadier Ghansara Singh arrived to assume the role of Governor. Major General H L Scott, the Kashmiri chief of military staff, later joined as well. The Gilgit Scouts, who were all Muslim, supported Pakistan's entry. Honorary Captain Muhammad Baber Khan convened a meeting of Gilgit scouts junior commissioned officers in the junior commissioned officers' mess on October 31, 1947, in the afternoon. At this meeting, it was resolved to overthrow the dogra rule.
The governor gave himself up on November 1, 1947. The Muslim company of Captain Hassan Khan's 6 Jammu Kahmir infantry battalion, which was traveling from Bunji to Gilgit, joined the scouts as well. The scouts set Partab Bridge on fire and attacked, destroying the dogra check post. After deserting, the Sikh and dogra components were apprehended. Consequently, 27000 square miles were freed from Dogra Raj. Major Muhammad Tufail Shaheed (Nishan-i-Haider), Honorary Captain Muhammad Baber Khan of the 1st Northern Light Infantory Regiment, who was instrumental in the 1947 fight of liberation from Dogra Raj, was then assigned as the force's commander.[6][7]
Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989)[edit | edit source]
Following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the United States, United Kingdom, Pakistan and Israel launched Operation Cyclone, in which they financed and armed the Afghan mujahideen to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a Soviet satellite state and subsequently threaten Pakistan (a U.S. ally in the Cold War). Here, with primarily Saudi Arabian and American financing, the Northern Light Infantry trained Afghan mujahideen fighters in Gilgit−Baltistan before sending them back to Afghanistan with state-of-the-art armaments to fight the Soviet military.
Siachen Glacier Conflict (1984–2003)[edit | edit source]
India's 1984 seizure of the Siachen Glacier (an area of Kashmir that was uninhabited and not controlled by any parties to the Kashmir conflict) resulted renewed high-level tensions with Pakistan until a mutual ceasefire agreement was brought into effect in 2003. During this period of intermittent fighting in the Siachen conflict, the NLI's 1st battalion performed defence and support work.[1][8]
Kargil War (1999)[edit | edit source]
In May 1999, Pakistan began operations to occupy key Indian forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC), sparking the Kargil War. Initially Pakistan Army denied any involvement in the war.[9][10] However, later on, it was reported that the Pakistan Army had launched forces exclusively from the Northern Light Infantry during this conflict. These included the 5th, 6th, 8th and 12th battalions in full strength and some elements of the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 11th battalions with the paramilitary Chitral and Bajaur Scouts, both of the Frontier Corps, deployed for logistical support.[1]
Massive Indian counterattack coupled with heavy diplomatic pressure from the United States forced Pakistan to begin a withdrawal after months of intense fighting in what was an ignominious defeat for Pakistan. Also, Pakistani casualties during this conflict, like those of other Indo−Pakistani conflicts and true to well known Pakistani character, remain disputed and unconfirmed. At least hundred dead Pakistani soldiers were given respectful burial by Indian Army as Pakistan Army had disowned its own dead soldiers. International sources (such as those from the U.S. Department of Defense) place Pakistani casualties at around 700+. After 11 years, Pakistan officially reported that around 453 of its soldiers were killed during the conflict.[11] PM Nawaz Sharif and some other sources placed the Pakistani casualties figure from 2,700 to 4,000 personnel.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2004–present)[edit | edit source]
The regiment has been taking part in counter-insurgency operations in North-West Pakistan. On 12 June 2013, the commanding officer of the 11th NLI battalion was killed in an IED attack during a military operation in Tirah Valley.[19] Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas Shaheed who received a commission in the Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan Army in 2020, was killed in an IED blast in the Kurram District on 18 June, 2024.[20]
Insurgency in Balochistan (2003–present)[edit | edit source]
According to some sources, NLI regiments have been posted and involved in counter insurgency operations in Balochistan against Baloch separatist groups.[21][22]
Units[edit | edit source]
- 1st Battalion (Victors)
- 2nd Battalion (Liberators)
- 3rd Battalion (Mountain Warriors)[23]
- 4th Battalion (The Hill Panthers)
- 5th Battalion (Defenders of K2)(Proud Five)
- 6th Battalion (Sikkis Saifullah)[24]
- 7th Battalion (Indus Guards)
- 8th Battalion (Koh Shikan)
- 9th Battalion (Barqdam Battalion)
- 10th Battalion (The Snow Leopards)[25][26][27]
- 11th Battalion (Skarchin)
- 12th Battalion (Haideran Haideran)[28]
- 13th Battalion (Shingo Tigers)
- 14th Battalion (Shujan Battalion)[29][30]:601
- 15th Battalion (The First)
- 16th Battalion
- 17th Battalion (Sekinchan battalion)[31]
- 18th Battalion (Al Azb)
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Northern Light Infantry". Global Security. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ↑ Murphy, Eamon (2013), The Making of Terrorism in Pakistan: Historical and Social Roots of Extremism, Routledge, pp. 127–, ISBN 978-0-415-56526-4
- ↑ Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) Archived 2018-03-25 at the Wayback Machine, Pakistan Army, retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 History of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts, Gilgit Baltistan Scouts, retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ↑ Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 255, ISBN 978-1-84904-342-7
- ↑ "Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) – Pakistan Army". pakarmy.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ↑ "Northern Light Infantry Regiment". www.globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ↑ "Northern Light Infantry". Pakistan Army Website. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
- ↑ "Kargil: The forgotten victims of the world's highest war". BBC News. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
- ↑ Kamath, P.M. (2000). "Pakistan after the Kargil Crisis : Implications for India". Indian Journal of Asian Affairs. 13 (1/2): 123–132. ISSN 0970-6402. JSTOR 41960891.
- ↑ "Kargil Vijay Diwas: Day to mark India's victory in 1999 conflict against Pakistan". Hindustan Times. 26 July 2011.
- ↑ "Over 4,000 soldiers killed in Kargil: Sharif". The Hindu. 3 October 2003. Archived from the original on 2003-10-03.
- ↑ Khan, M. Ilyas (2019-07-26). "The forgotten victims of the world's highest war". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ↑ Tavares, Rodrigo (2006). Understanding Regional Peace and Security. Göteborg University. p. 297. ISBN 978-9187380679.
the US State Department quoted the Pakistani military casualties at 700, whereas Indian sources reported the Pakistani casualties to be 1000+. According to the then PM Nawaz Sharif (quoted in Gulf News, February 2002), the entire Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan was wiped out during the conflict claiming 2,700 lives.
- ↑ Chakraborty, A. K. "Kargil War Brings into Sharp Focus India's Commitment to Peace". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ↑ "Breakdown of casualties into Officers, JCOs, and Other Ranks". Parliament of India Website. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
- ↑ "Complete Roll of Honour of Indian Army's Killed in Action during Op Vijay". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
- ↑ "Pak lost 2,700 men in Kargil war: Sharif". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 6 July 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ↑ Shinwari, Ibrahim (13 June 2013). "Army officer killed in Tirah valley blast". Dawn. Archived from the original on 10 July 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ↑ Desk, BR Web (2024-06-21). "Five soldiers martyred in Kurram IED blast: ISPR". Brecorder. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ↑ "Pakistan: 13 Security Personnel Killed by Unidentified Men in Balochistan". News18. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
- ↑ "Pakistan: BLA Blowback In Baluchistan ? Analysis". Eurasia Review. 2024-11-12. Archived from the original on 2025-05-24. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
- ↑ "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 16 June 2021. p. 243. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ↑ "Martyrs of 2012 Gayari avalanche honoured in Siachen". Geo News. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ↑ Hussain, Naveed. "Untold tales from the battlefront". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
The 10th Northern Light Infantry is tasked
- ↑ "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 1 January 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ↑ "In the news: Pakistan: India's Modi greets PM on Pakistan Day". Pakistan & Gulf Economist. 27 March 2017.
- ↑ Tariq, Sardar Muhammad; Raja, Asif Jehangir. "Spirits Rekindled – Joint Staff Pakistan Day Parade - 2015". Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ↑ Iqbal, M. Javed. "Long Live Pakistan: Joint Services Pakistan Day Parade 23rd March 2019". Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ↑ "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ↑ "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 27 January 2021. p. 21. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- "Northern Light Infantry". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.