Its component branches are:
Pakistan Army
Pakistan Navy
Pakistan Air Force
Paramilitary forces of Pakistan
Pakistan Coast Guard
Pakistan Strategic Nuclear Command
The Army, Navy and Air Force were commissioned in 1947 in anticipation of a potential hostilities against India. From the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of Pakistan. A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the wars of 1947 and 1965 against India.
Approximately 700,000 personnel are on active duty in the military which is the world's 6th largest armed force as of 2009.[2] Combined with the 302,000 strong Paramilitary forces and 528,000 in reserve, the Military of Pakistan has a total size of approximately 1,530,000 personnel. The Military draws its manpower from a large pool of volunteers and as such, conscription is not, and has never been needed.[3]
Pakistan's military is led by an officer corps that is not restricted by social class or nobility and are appointed from a variety of sources such as service academies and direct appointment from both civilian status and the enlisted ranks. The Pakistan Army is the best organized group in the country and is highly respected in civil society and the social ranks as an institution.[4] Since the founding of Pakistan, the army has been key in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood and providing a bastion of selfless service.[5]
The Pakistani armed forces are the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping efforts, with more than 10,000 personnel deployed in 2007.[6] Other foreign deployments have consisted of Pakistani military personnel as advisers in African and Arab countries. The Pakistani military maintained Division and brigade strength presences in some of the Arab countries during the past Arab-Israeli Wars, and the first Gulf War to help the Coalition, in Somalian & Kosovo conflicts.
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