Pakistan Rangers
Active	August 14, 1947 - Present
Country	Pakistan
Branch	Pakistan Army
Size	100,000 active troops (Center for Defense Information)[1]
Headquarters	Lahore and Karachi
Nickname(s)	Pakistan Army Rangers
Anniversaries	Defence Day
Engagements	Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Operation Embassy Kosovo War Operation Blue Fox Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 Operation Silence Operation Black Thunderstorm Police Commando Operation Operation Rah-e-Nijat
Decorations	Military Awards and Decorations
Website	Pakistan Rangers
Commanders
Current Commander	Major-General Muhammad Yaqub Khan, PA
Notable commanders	Major-General Hussain Mehdi

The Pakistan Rangers are part of the paramilitary force command, and consists of members of the Pakistan Army under the direct control of the Ministry of the Interior of the Pakistan Government. The prime objectives of Rangers is to provide and maintain security in hot conflict and war zone areas. In 1995, the Pakistan Rangers divided into two parts; Pakistan Rangers Punjab headquartered in Lahore, Punjab, and Pakistan Rangers Sindh (formerly the Mehran Force) headquartered in Karachi, Sindh. The two divisions have different uniforms and chains of command but work under same ordinance such as The Pakistan Rangers Ordinance 1959.

Each evening the Pakistan Rangers together with their counterparts in the Indian Border Security Force participates in a flag lowering ceremony at Wagah.

The origins and roots of Army Rangers dates back to 1942, when British Government established a special unit as Sindh Police Rangers. After the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, the protection of its eastern boundaries was allotted to particular regions, such as the Punjab Border Police Force, Bahawalpur State Police, Khairpur State Police and Sindh Rifles. Because the Rangers were neither correctly structured nor outfitted for a specific duty, in 1958, they were restructured and renamed as the West Pakistan Rangers.

The Rangers had fought shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan Army in past two decades, namely 1965 Indo-Pak war and 1971 Indo-Pakistan War^[2]. After the 1971 war, this force was federalized underneath the Ministry of Defence as the Pakistan Rangers and shortly in 1974, it was made a component of the Civil Armed Forces (CAF) under the Ministry of Interior. Pakistan Rangers guard the borders during peace and war. In 1995, the Mehran Force was merged into the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh). The Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) are credited for providing the Pakistan Army troops for Special Police Units in Kosovo and Haiti Peace mission every year.

These troops are entrusted with the task to provide protection and security to the UN officials, provide operational and backup support while responding to threats to public order in coordination with the Kosovo administration and assist humanitarian agencies^[3]. The Rangers also had participated in numerous special military operations along with Pakistan Army Special Forces branch in the past. Since its revitalization and re-building after the 1971 war, the Rangers have been involved in the numerous special military operations in Pakistan. The Rangers have assisted Army's Special Service Group in undertaking the special operations. The Rangers have first participated in 1973, when based on the intelligence reports, had successfully accompanied the SSGs to raid the Iraqi Embassy. In 1992, the Rangers were deployed in Karachi, and the Government of Sindh had used the Rangers to keep peace in the city. The Rangers had also participated in Operation Blue Fox in 1992 along with the Army. Due to have close association with the Army, the Rangers had also fought in Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 (Best known as Kargil War) deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite of its being paramilitary force, the Government of Pakistan had recognized the Rangers as its one its special forces in 2004. The Rangers were among one of the special forces that participated in Operation Silence and accompanied the Army Commandoes in the operation. During the operation, the Ranger had suffered with one casualty^[4]. In 2009, Rangers completed the special military operation in Lahore, when terrorists attack the Manawan Police Academy along with the Special Service Group. While the operation was led by the Pakistan Rangers, the operation, codename Lahore Police Academy Operation, ended with the eight militant deaths while capturing the other one^[5]. The same year, the Government of Pakistan deployed the Rangers to secure Islamabad outskirts when Taliban had taken over the Buner, Lower Dir, Swat and Shangla districts. Its members had also participated in Operation Black Thunderstorm while securing the capital^[6] Currently, the Rangers are deployed in Karachi.

Pakistan Rangers are divided into two separate branches: Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and Pakistan Rangers (Punjab). Each branch is headed by the appointed Director General by the Pakistan Army after the confirmation of Chief of Army Staff. The Director General of the Pakistan Rangers currently holds the 2-star rank of Major-General. The current Director General of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) is Major General Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry, whereas Director General of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) is Major General Muhammad Yaqub Khan. The similar paramilitary force in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is called the Frontier Corps.

In spite of its role as paramilitary, the Rangers have been recognized by Government of Pakistan as one its special forces. The Rangers Anti-Terrorist Company has been raised since early 2004. They have been trained by Zarrar Company of Special Services Group (SSG) and the rangers performance was largely appreciated by all. This company has also participated in recently conducted exercise with United Kingdom's Special Air Service and United States Army Ranger troops stationed in Karachi.

The Rangers are also very active in securing important monuments and guarding national assets in that city. The Rangers have notably contributed towards maintaining law and order in Karachi in crisis situations. Sindh Rangers consist of approximately 25,000 persons whereas almost half of total force is deployed in Karachi. In current situation, the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) have become necessary in Karachi in restoring peace.

The selection for rangers lasts 2–3 weeks. Both male and females can join the Rangers and a applicant must be between 18-25 years old. Also, the retired Army personnel can also be part of the Rangers and the applicants age must be around 35 to 50 years old. In order to apply for Rangers, the applicant must passed F.Sc. (an equivalent to U.S. metriculation system) from a government registered college. An applicant may hold the Kashmiri or Pakistani citizenship to join the Force. The Rangers can be deployed any place either in Sindh or Punjab, according to the Rangers Act of 1959^[7].

Although the Pakistan Rangers is under Interior ministry, however the key positions in Pakistan Rangers including Director-General of the Rangers are headed by the members Pakistan Army. The Director of the Pakistan Rangers is appointed by Pakistan Army's Generals Headquarter (GHQ). The majority of the officers are departmental officers who get promotion from the rank of Sub Inspector. The rank structure of the force is same as in the Pakistan Police. Each Company is commanded by a DSR (Deputy Superintendent Rangers). The rangers also maintain the rangers commandos known as "red commandos."

Wagah, the only road border crossing between Pakistan and India, has been the site of a flag lowering ceremony each evening. During the ceremony the Pakistani Rangers and their counterparts in the Indian Border Security Force carry out a drill in which they mirror each others drill with foot stamping and aggressive stares. Despite the outward display of aggression, the drill of both sides actually requires a high degree of co-operation. It is a worthseeing scene where the actions of two hostile forces provide the ultimate proudness to the masses on both sides.

• Automatic Rifles - 7.62 mm G3A3, 7.62 mm G3P4
• Machine Guns - 7.62 mm MG3
• Sub-Machine Guns - 9 mm MP5A2 & MP5P4, 9 mm SMG-PK
• Pistols - 7.62 mm standard issue likely Tokarev TT-33
• Bullet Proof Jackets - Various local and foreign types

The formal headwear of the Rangers are somewhat similar to the ones worn by the Frontier Corps.

• Sub-Inspector Amarjeet Singh- A first Sikh Pakistani Officer of the Pakistan Rangers (Punjab)^[8].
• Afridi Brothers DSR Ibrahim Khan Afridi and DSR Saleem Khan Afridi, the two real brothers serving in Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) embraced Shahadat on 9 February 2010 in a Suicide Bomb blast in Peshawar.

• Pakistan Defence

• United States Army Ranger
• Pakistan Army
• Operation Silence

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