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Strategic Plans Division Force

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SPD Force
عسکری حکمتِ عملی ڈیوژن فورس
Founded2 February 2000 (24 years ago) (2000-02-02)
Country Pakistan
BranchNational Command Authority
RoleStrategic/Protection of nuclear materials
Size25,000+[1]
Garrison/HQJoint Staff HQ in Rawalpindi, Punjab
Nickname(s)SPDF
Commanders
Director-General of SPD ForceLt-Gen. Yusuf Jamal

The Strategic Plans Division Force (SPD Force) is a paramilitary unit responsible for safeguarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, including both tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, as well as the security of nuclear facilities where these weapons and materials are produced and stored.[2][3]

Formed as a security branch of the National Command Authority (NCA) in 2000,[4] its leadership appointments directly comes from the 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 Army GHQ in Rawalpindi, with Major-General Ziauddin Butt becoming its first director-general.: xvii [5] The directorate concerning with nuclear weapons development and delivery mechanism reported directly to army chief or the chief of general staff.: 388 [5] 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 in 2000.: x [5]

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.[6] 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.[7]

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.: 388–400 [5]

Organization

The leadership appointment of the Strategic Plans Division comes directly from the Army HQ in Rawalpindi.[8] Designated as a Director-General, the general officer is a three-star rank who reports directly to chief of army staff.[8] There are four security directorates for each strategic organization and each directorate is led by Brigadier.[9]

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[9] but since 2012 SPD has been training these recruits in its own academy known as Pakistan’s Centre of Excellence for Nuclear Security (PCENS)[10][11] located in Chakri near Rawalpindi.[12] This training facility is modeled on US National Nuclear Security Administration's Federal Protective Forces academy.[9]

Special Response Force

Special Response Force (SRF) is the special forces unit of SPD Force.[13] SRF is based on training techniques of SSG and has retired SSG commandos as training staff.[14]

Weapons

SPD Force's primary weapons are G3, Type 56 and Type 81 assault rifles.

Director Generals

Directors-General of Strategic Planning Division Start of Term End of Term
Major-General Ziauddin Butt
(As Combat Development Directorate) 		1990 1993
Lieutenant-General Zulfikar Ali Khan
(As Combat Development Directorate) 		1993 2001
Lieutenant-General Khalid Kidwai February 2000 December 2013
Lieutenant-General Zubair Hyatt December 2013 April 2015
Lieutenant-General Mazhar Jamil April 2015 September 2017
Lieutenant-General Sarfraz Sattar September 2017 November 2019 [15]
Lieutenant-General Nadeem Zaki Manj November 2019 October 2022
Lieutenant-General Yusuf Jamal October 2022 Present

References

  1. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2024). The Military Balance 2024. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781032780047.
  2. ^ "No PR71/2013-ISPR". www.ispr.gov.pk. ISPR. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  3. ^ "COAS reposes full confidence in Pakistan's nuclear security regime". ARY News. November 13, 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Kidwai to retire as head of Pakistan's n-programme caretakers". The Express Tribune. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Khan, Feroz (7 November 2012). Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb. Stanford, CA, USA: Stanford University Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-8047-8480-1. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Strategic Plans Division Force". Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  7. ^ "700 trainees join SPD security force". The Nation. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b "1,000 SPD Security Soldiers complete training in Abbotabad centers". Samaa. April 23, 2013. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "Nuclear Learning in Pakistan Since 1998" (PDF). School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  10. ^ "ISPR Hilal Magazine - Nuclear Security is a Sacred Responsibility: COAS". www.hilal.gov.pk. ISPR. Archived from the original on 2016-05-04. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  11. ^ "COAS expresses confidence in Pakistan's nuclear security". www.dawn.com. DAWN. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  12. ^ "INAUGURATION CEREMONY of SPD TRAINING ACADEMY". www.ispr.gov.pk. ISPR. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  13. ^ Ceremony, SSF. "Wing Award Ceremony (SRF), Passing Out Parade (SSBC) & Expo at SPD Training Academy Rawalpindi". www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  14. ^ Release, Press. "No PR99/2013-ISPR". www.ispr.gov.pk. ISPR. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  15. ^ "Lt Gen Sarfraz Sattar appointed SPD DG". Archived from the original on 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
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