Mujahid Force

The Mujahid Force (Urdu: مجاہد فورس) is a regiment and a paramilitary component of the National Guard of Pakistan, normally under the command of the Pakistan Army. Its mission is to support and supplement the regular Army during national emergencies and war and its headquarters is in Bhimber, Azad Kashmir, established in 1992.

Mujahid Force
مجاہد فورس
Soldiers from the Mujahid Force during the Pakistan Day Parade in 2016
Founded	1965
Country	Pakistan
Branch	Pakistan Army
Role	Infantry, Artillery
Size	15 battalions
Part of	National Guard
Force Centre	Bhimber, Azad Kashmir
Nickname(s)	'Mujahids'
Motto(s)	Arabic:جہاد فی سبیل اللہ Jihad fi-Sabilillah
Colours
Engagements	Second Indo−Pakistani War Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes
Commanders
Director Mujahid Force	Brigadier General Tahir Ali Syed (2019)^[1]
X Corps (Pakistan) Commander	Lieutanant General Shahid Imtiaz (2022)^[2]^[3]

History

The force was established in 1965,^[4] and was merged into the National Guard when that organization was formed in 1972.^[5] The Force is further regulated by the National Guards Act, 1973, which became law on 12 August 1973. This law sets out, amongst other things, the criteria for applicants and that the Force personnel were subject to military law with respect to criminal charges.^[6] It was raised as a reserve force to support and supplement the regular Army during national emergencies and war. The headquarters are in Bhimber, Azad Kashmir, established in 1992.^{[citation needed]}

The Force was originally intended as a border guard unit but has been involved in military actions in recent years. In August 2012, it was reported it was being trained by the Special Service Group (special forces) as part of cross-border infiltration efforts by the Pakistan Army.^[7] In 2018, the force was alleged to have deployed four battalions to the Line of Control in Kashmir, to engage in cross-border infiltration activities against Indian forces.^[8] Later in 2018, it was announced that several temporary battalions were to be given permanent status.^[9] In November 2019, after the dissolution of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Force was reported to have deployed about 17,000 personnel in 25 battalions, closer to the Line of Control.^[10]

Training

Some members of the Force have been trained alongside military personnel at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, with the 12th such intake graduating in March 2022.^[11]

Insignia

The Force badge depicts a star held up by two pointed ends of a crescent super imposed with a dagger in vertical position in clasped wrist pointing upward, resting on a scroll with a war cry inscribed in Arabic.

Public image

The Force regularly participates in public events. For example, the 760th Battalion was involved in the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad on 23 March 2017.^[12]

The Mujahid Force was involved in controversy in June 2019 when it advertised jobs for sanitation workers but specified that only non-Muslims should apply, although the advertisement was soon withdrawn.^[13]

Engagements

• Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
• Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
• Fire exchange along the Line of Control since 1991

Units

Known battalions

641 Battalion^[8]^[9] 642 Battalion^[14] 645 Battalion^[15] 646 Battalion^[16] 647 Battalion^[8]^[17]^[9] 648 Battalion^[18]^: 68 649 Battalion^[19] 651 Battalion^[20] 654 Battalion^[8]^[9]

655 Battalion^[8]^[9] 658 Battalion^[21]^[22] 702 sherdil Battalion^[17] 760 Battalion^[12]^[23] 792 Battalion^[24] 801 Battalion^[25]^[26]^[27] 815 Mujahid Battalion (JANGJU) 833 Mujahid Medium Regiment Artillery (TAKBEERI) 834 Battalion (JANFISHAN)

See also

• Azad Kashmir Regiment
• Janbaz Force

References

1. "COAS Gen. Bajwa installs Lt-Gen. Bilal Akbar as Colonel Commandant of Mujahid Force". The News International. 28 December 2018.
2. "Nadeem named Mujahid Force's Col Commandant". Dawn. 31 October 2017.
3. "COAS appoints Lt Gen Nadeem Raza as Mujahid Force commandant". 30 October 2017.
4. "The Pakistan Mujahid Force Ordinance, 1965". 8 June 1965. Approved by the National Assembly on 21 July 1965.
5. "National Guards program is lauched to reduce dependence on Army". Pakistan Affairs. Washington. 16 January 1973. p. 94.
6. "National Guards Act, 1973" (PDF). Gazette of Pakistan. Senate of Pakistan. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
7. Khajuria, Ravi Krishnan (21 August 2012). "Pak's border force being trained by commandos". Tribune News Service. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
8. Shah, Jitendra Bahadur (7 February 2018). "Pakistan's Border Action Team deploys battalions along LoC: Intel sources". India Today.
9. "Pakistan converting temporary Mujahid Battalions into permanent with its new three-phased training policy". Zee News. 22 February 2018.
10. Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (12 November 2019). "Pakistan moves heavy artillery, SSG commandos close to Line of Control after August 5". The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
11. "Passing out parade of PMA Long Course, Mujahid Course, Lady Cadet Course, Integrated Course held". Radio Pakistan. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
12. "Military parade in capital marks Pakistan Day celebrations". Geo News. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
13. "Pakistan Army changes ad seeking 'Christians only' for sanitation jobs: "Minority representation" in sanitation jobs in Pakistan is over 80 per cent". The Week. 29 June 2019.
14. "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part II" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 5 February 2020. p. 113. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
15. Unnithan, Sandeep (21 October 2013). "Pakistan unleashes a new wave of terror even as it talks peace". Srinagar: India Today. Retrieved 11 December 2022. Havildar Mohammad Yousuf Chaudhary of the 645 Mujahid Battalion
16. Tariq, Sardar Muhammad; Raja, Asif Jehangir. "Spirits Rekindled – Joint Staff Pakistan Day Parade - 2015". Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
17. Chowdhury, Srinjoy (17 September 2019). "Forces on alert as large number of Pakistan SSG commandos spotted near LoC". Times Now News.
18. "The Gazette of Pakistan. Part III" (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
19. Iqbal, M. Javed. "Long Live Pakistan: Joint Services Pakistan Day Parade 23rd March 2019". Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces Magazine. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
20. Khalid, Maria. "The Untold Stories of Courage and Bravery". Hilal: The Pakistan Armed Forces' Magazine.
21. "Civil Appeal No.194 of 2017" (PDF). Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. p. 1.
22. "Intercepted Pakistani radio communications confirm Wing Commander Abhinandan shot down Pak F-16". Asian News International. 5 April 2019.
23. "In the news: Pakistan: India's Modi greets PM on Pakistan Day". Pakistan & Gulf Economist. 27 March 2017.
24. "Several Pakistani bunkers destroyed in counter firing by Indian Army at Akhnoor". Mangalore Today News Network. 29 February 2020.
25. "5 soldiers killed in Pak ambush". Tribune News Service. 7 August 2013.
26. "Indian Army hits back: Major among 8 Pakistanis killed". One India. 16 January 2018.
27. "Exclusive: Indian soldiers slain on LoC slept as death-trap closed". Firstpost.com. 22 August 2013.