Ministry of Defence (Pakistan)
The Ministry of Defence (Urdu: وزارت دفاع वज़ारत-ए-दिफ़ा vazārat-e-difā, abbreviated as MoD) is an executive ministry within the federal Government of Pakistan. Its primary responsibility is to protect the national interests and territorial integrity of the country. The MoD is in charge of implementing its policies and oversees all government agencies that are directly involved with national security and the Pakistan Armed Forces.
| وزارت دفاع वज़ारत-ए-दिफ़ा Vazārat-e-difā’ | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 14, 1947 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Pakistan |
| Headquarters | Pakistan Secretariat No. II in Adam Jee Road, Rawalpindi-46000, Punjab, Pakistan. |
| Annual budget | ₨2.122 trillion (
₹660 billion) US$17.8 billion (2024)[1] |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
|
| Website | www |
The existence and functions of the ministry are statutorily defined in Part XII, Chapter II of the Constitution of Pakistan with Minister of Defence being its head who reports directly to Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The responsibilities for procurement, production and disposal of equipment were transferred in 2004 to the Ministry of Defence Production. The Ministry of Defence is one of the largest federal ministries of the Government of Pakistan in terms of budget as well as staff.
HistoryEdit
The Ministry of Defence was established on 14 August 1947, following the division of the Ministry of Defence of India, with Liaquat Ali Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, assuming the role of the first Minister of Defence.
From its creation in 1947 until 1971, the Ministry was highly centralised, with decision-making and defence policies primarily reliant on the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army located in Rawalpindi, Punjab. The 1973 Constitution of Pakistan formally recognised the Ministry's existence and outlined its functions in Part XII, Chapter II, which emphasised civilian oversight of the military to safeguard the national integrity of Pakistan against potential misadventures.
Since 1973, numerous reforms have been implemented to enhance the Ministry's role and fulfill its objectives. Until 2004, the Ministry of Defence also managed military expenditures and procurement until the establishment of the Ministry of Defence Production. Unlike other federal ministries, the Ministry of Defence remains situated in Rawalpindi, close to GHQ and the Joint Staff Headquarters.
Currently, the Ministry of Defence operates to implement defence policies and coordinate activities among various agencies and contractors related to defence. It also issues security clearances under the British-style Official Secrets Act for individuals involved in national security programs.
Organisational structuresEdit
The Minister of Defence, who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, is an elected member of the Parliament and serves as the head of the ministry in accordance with the Constitution. The Defence Minister is supported by the Secretary of Defence and the Parliamentary Secretary of Defence, who assist in managing bureaucratic matters and addressing issues related to the administration of civil affairs between the military and the Prime Minister's Secretariat in Islamabad.
The Ministry of Defence encompasses the Secretariats for the Army, Air Force, and Navy, along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and the tri-services headquarters (GHQ, AHQ, and NHQ). It also includes a representative from the finance ministry for military funding and joint secretaries from each of the Army, Air Force, and Navy secretariats. Below is a simplified overview of the senior leadership within the Ministry of Defence:
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ "Military expenditure by country, in constant (2017) US$ m., 1988-2018" (PDF). Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.