View source for Strategic Plans Division Force

{{Short description|Pakistan's paramilitary agency responsible for protection of special nuclear materials}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = SPD Force
| native_name                   = {{nastaliq|عسکری حکمتِ عملی ڈیوژن فورس}}
| image                         = Pakistan Inter Services (Emblem).png
| caption                       = 
| start_date                    = {{start date and age|df=yes|p=y|2000|02|02}}
| country                       = {{PAK}}
| allegiance                    = 
| branch                        = [[National Command Authority (Pakistan)|National Command Authority]]
| type                          = 
| role                          = Strategic/Protection of nuclear materials
| size                          = 25,000+<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=International Institute for Strategic Studies |author-link=International Institute for Strategic Studies |title=The Military Balance 2024 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |date=February 2024 |isbn=9781032780047 |location=[[London]] |ref=IISS2024}}</ref>
| garrison                      = [[Joint Staff Headquarters (Pakistan)|Joint Staff HQ]] in [[Rawalpindi]], Punjab
| command_structure             = 
| nickname                      = SPDF
| colors                        = <!-- or | colours_label = -->
| colors_label                  = <!-- or | colours_label = -->
| website                       = <!-- Commanders -->
| commander1                    = [[Lieutenant-General|Lt-Gen.]] Yusuf Jamal
| commander1_label              = [[Director-General]] of SPD Force
}}
The '''Strategic Plans Division Force''' (''SPD Force'') is a paramilitary unit responsible for safeguarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, including both [[Tactical nuclear weapon|tactical]] and [[Strategic nuclear weapon|strategic]] [[nuclear weapons]], as well as the security of nuclear facilities where these weapons and materials are produced and stored.<ref>{{cite web |title=No PR71/2013-ISPR |url=https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=2080 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826202405/https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=2080 |archive-date=26 August 2016 |access-date=23 October 2015 |website=www.ispr.gov.pk |publisher=ISPR}}</ref><ref name="coasconf">{{cite news |date=November 13, 2015 |title=COAS reposes full confidence in Pakistan's nuclear security regime |url=http://arynews.tv/en/coas-reposes-full-confidence-in-pakistans-nuclear-security-regime/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203193226/http://arynews.tv/en/coas-reposes-full-confidence-in-pakistans-nuclear-security-regime/ |archive-date=3 February 2016 |access-date=26 March 2016 |publisher=ARY News}}</ref> 

Formed as a security branch of the [[National Command Authority (Pakistan)|National Command Authority]] (NCA) in 2000,<ref name="kidwairet">{{cite news |title=Kidwai to retire as head of Pakistan's n-programme caretakers |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/647307/lt-gen-khalid-kidwai-to-retire-as-head-of-pakistans-nuclear-programme-caretakers/ |access-date=26 March 2016 |publisher=The Express Tribune |date=December 18, 2013 |archive-date=13 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113180006/http://tribune.com.pk/story/647307/lt-gen-khalid-kidwai-to-retire-as-head-of-pakistans-nuclear-programme-caretakers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> its leadership appointments directly comes from the [[GHQ (Pakistan Army)|Army HQ]] of the [[Pakistan Army]] with agency head serves its [[Director-General]]. [[Lieutenant-General]] Yusuf Jamal is its current director-general.

== Historical background and role ==

In 1990, the Combat Development Directorate was created by the [[General Headquarters (Pakistan Army)|Army GHQ]] in [[Rawalpindi]], with [[Major-General]] [[Ziauddin Butt]] becoming its first director-general.{{rp|xvii}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Khan, 2012">{{cite book |last1=Khan |first1=Feroz |title=Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb |date=7 November 2012 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford, CA, USA |isbn=978-0-8047-8480-1 |pages=500 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yGgrNAsKZjEC&q=strategic%20plans%20division%20 |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |archive-date=17 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117142728/https://books.google.com/books?id=yGgrNAsKZjEC&q=strategic%20plans%20division%20 |url-status=live }}</ref> The directorate concerning with nuclear weapons development and delivery mechanism reported directly to [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|army chief]] or the [[Chief of the General Staff (Pakistan)|chief of general staff]].{{rp|388}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Khan, 2012"/> The combat development directorate functioned until 1998 with Lieutenant-General Zulfikar Ali Khan its final director when the strategic planning division was created as a security secretariat of the [[National Command Authority (Pakistan)|National Command Authority]] in 2000.{{rp|x}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Khan, 2012"/>

The Strategic Plans Division has its own paramilitary force that is responsible for providing provision of security to country's strategic sites and protecting the nuclear materials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Strategic Plans Division Force |url=https://www.nti.org/education-center/facilities/strategic-plans-division-spd/ |access-date=4 August 2023 |archive-date=4 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804161521/https://www.nti.org/education-center/facilities/strategic-plans-division-spd/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Strategic Plans Division Force is heavily armed, which is reflective of the anticipated capabilities of an adversary likely to attempt an assault against nuclear material-holding sites.<ref name="SevenHunJoin">{{cite news |title=700 trainees join SPD security force |url=http://nation.com.pk/national/07-Nov-2011/700-trainees-join-SPD-security-force |access-date=26 March 2016 |publisher=The Nation |date=November 7, 2011 |archive-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702062617/http://nation.com.pk/national/07-Nov-2011/700-trainees-join-SPD-security-force |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Strategic Plan Division also serves as a "program manager" of nation's strategic and deterrence program and provides guidance as well development on weapons production at the ministry of defense's national weapons laboratories to maintain the minimum credible deterrence.{{rp|388-400}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Khan, 2012"/>

== Organization ==

The leadership appointment of the Strategic Plans Division comes directly from the [[GHQ (Pakistan Army)|Army HQ]] in [[Rawalpindi, Punjab|Rawalpindi]].<ref name="abottTraining"/> Designated as a Director-General, the general officer is a [[Lieutenant-General|three-star]] rank who reports directly to chief of army staff.<ref name="abottTraining">{{cite news |title=1,000 SPD Security Soldiers complete training in Abbotabad centers |url=http://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2013/04/1-000-spd-security-soldiers-complete-training-in-abbotabad-centers/ |access-date=26 March 2016 |publisher=Samaa |date=April 23, 2013 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609200518/http://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2013/04/1-000-spd-security-soldiers-complete-training-in-abbotabad-centers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> There are four security directorates for each strategic organization and each directorate is led by [[Brigadier]].<ref name=NuclearLearning98>{{cite web |title=Nuclear Learning in Pakistan Since 1998 |url=http://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/files/4794827/Salik_Naeem_Ahmad_2015.pdf |publisher=School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia |access-date=8 November 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092602/http://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/files/4794827/Salik_Naeem_Ahmad_2015.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Initially, the active-duty members of the Pakistan Armed Forces provided the security of the agency but the agency now has started hiring its own personnel. The selection standards in terms of intelligence and physical standards for these candidates are even higher than army due to very sensitive nature of their duty. At start, these recruits were trained at Pakistan Army's training centers<ref name="NuclearLearning98" /> but since 2012 SPD has been training these recruits in its own academy known as Pakistan’s Centre of Excellence for Nuclear Security (PCENS)<ref name="COAS visits spd">{{cite web |title=ISPR Hilal Magazine - Nuclear Security is a Sacred Responsibility: COAS |url=http://www.hilal.gov.pk/index.php/grids-preview/2014-09-09-14-38-33/item/1786-nuclear-security-is-a-sacred-responsibility-coas |website=www.hilal.gov.pk |publisher=ISPR |access-date=17 April 2016 |archive-date=2016-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504222434/http://www.hilal.gov.pk/index.php/grids-preview/2014-09-09-14-38-33/item/1786-nuclear-security-is-a-sacred-responsibility-coas |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="coasV">{{cite web |title=COAS expresses confidence in Pakistan's nuclear security |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1219461 |website=www.dawn.com |date=13 November 2015 |publisher=DAWN |access-date=17 April 2016 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425211945/http://www.dawn.com/news/1219461 |url-status=live }}</ref> located in Chakri near Rawalpindi.<ref>{{cite web |title=INAUGURATION CEREMONY of SPD TRAINING ACADEMY |url=https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&date=2012/4/13 |website=www.ispr.gov.pk |publisher=ISPR |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011503/https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&date=2012/4/13 |url-status=live }}</ref> This training facility is modeled on US [[National Nuclear Security Administration]]'s [[Federal Protective Forces]] academy.<ref name="NuclearLearning98" />

== Special Response Force ==
Special Response Force (SRF) is the special forces unit of SPD Force.<ref name="SSFNews">{{cite web|last1=Ceremony|first1=SSF|title=Wing Award Ceremony (SRF), Passing Out Parade (SSBC) & Expo at SPD Training Academy Rawalpindi|url=https://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/awpreview/pDetails.aspx?pType=PressRelease&pID=165|website=www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk|access-date=26 March 2016|archive-date=9 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209163619/http://www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk/awpreview/pDetails.aspx?pType=PressRelease&pID=165|url-status=live}}</ref> SRF is based on training techniques of SSG and has retired SSG commandos as training staff.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Release|first1=Press|url=https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=2325|website=www.ispr.gov.pk|publisher=ISPR|access-date=8 November 2015|title=No PR99/2013-ISPR|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305023249/https://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=2325|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Weapons==
SPD Force's primary weapons are [[Heckler & Koch G3|G3]], [[Type 56 assault rifle|Type 56]] and [[Type 81 assault rifle|Type 81]] assault rifles.

==Director Generals==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!colspan=1|Directors-General of Strategic Planning Division 
!Start of Term
!End  of Term
|-
|[[Major-General]] [[Ziauddin Butt]]<br>{{small|(As Combat Development Directorate)}}
|1990
|1993
|-
|Lieutenant-General Zulfikar Ali Khan<br>{{small|(As Combat Development Directorate)}}
|1993
|2001
|-
|Lieutenant-General Khalid Kidwai 
|February 2000
|December 2013
|-
|Lieutenant-General [[Zubair Mahmood Hayat|Zubair Hyatt]]
|December 2013 
|April 2015
|-
|Lieutenant-General Mazhar Jamil
|April 2015
|September 2017
|-
|Lieutenant-General [[Sarfraz Sattar]]
|September 2017
|November 2019 <ref>{{cite news|title=Lt Gen Sarfraz Sattar appointed SPD DG|url=http://dailytimes.com.pk/115078/lt-gen-sarfraz-sattar-appointed-spd-dg/|access-date=2018-02-12|archive-date=2018-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212004937/https://dailytimes.com.pk/115078/lt-gen-sarfraz-sattar-appointed-spd-dg/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Lieutenant-General Nadeem Zaki Manj
|November 2019
|October 2022
|-
|Lieutenant-General Yusuf Jamal
|October 2022
|Present
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nuclear safety and security]]
[[Category:Pakistan Army]]
[[Category:Nuclear security agencies]]