Pakistan Armed Forces

The Pakistan Armed Forces are the military forces of Pakistan, formed in August 1947 when the Partition of India created the independent states of India and Pakistan. They consist of three uniformed services, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, backed by paramilitary forces such as the National Guard and the Civil Armed Forces. In 2024 they had approximately 660,000 active personnel, which makes them one of the largest militaries in the world. The President of Pakistan is commander-in-chief. The forces descend from the British Indian Army and have fought major wars with India in 1947 to 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999. They have also taken power from civilian governments several times since 1957.