Country Pakistan Size 20,000+ | Type Security Force | |
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Part of Strategic Plans Division Garrison/HQ Joint Staff Headquarters, Chaklala, Rawalpindi | ||
Strategic Plans Division Force (or SPD Force) is Pakistan's agency responsible for protection of Pakistan's nuclear and strategic assets. It is security arm of Strategic Plans Division, which oversees Pakistan's strategic organizations such as, KRL, PAEC, NESCOM and SUPARCO and is different from Pakistan Army's strategic forces.
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Role
The force's primary task is provision of security to country's strategic infrastructure such as nuclear and missile research and production sites, space installations etc.
Organization
The force is commanded by serving Lieutenant General of Pakistan Army who acts as Director General of Strategic Plans Division. There are four security directorates for each strategic organization and each directorate is led by Brigadier.
Initially, manpower for security of country's strategic assets was provided by Pakistan's Armed Forces but now SPD 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 but since 2012 SPD has been training these recruits in its own academy known as Pakistan’s Centre of Excellence for Nuclear Security (PCENS) located in Chakri near Rawalpindi. This training facility is modeled on US National Nuclear Security Administration's academy.
Special Response Force
Special Response Force (SRF) is the special forces unit of SPD Force with the strength of 1000 personnel.
Weapons
SPD Force's primary weapons are G3 rifle, Type 56 and Type 81 assault rifles.