Army Strategic Forces Command (Pakistan)
| Army Strategic Forces Command (Pakistan) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | March 2000 - Present |
| Country |
 Pakistan
|
| Branch |
 Pakistan Army
|
| Type | Nuclear warfare |
| HQ/Command Control Headquarter | Rawalpindi, Punjab Province |
| Colors Identification | Red and White |
| Commanders | |
| Corps Commander | Lt Gen Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Gen Ghulam Mustafa Lt Gen Syed Absar Hussain |
The Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) is a major command of the Pakistan Army, which administers land-based nuclear weapons. Its comparable command includes the PAF's Air Force Strategic Command and the Navy's Naval Strategic Forces Command, all commands formed the unified command and control mechanism under the directorship and leadership of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Significantly, it is a newer component of administrative corps of Pakistan Army. It is tasked to command all of Pakistan's land-based strategic forces.
Before its establishment, the Pakistan Air Force's Air Force Strategic Command was completely responsible for protecting the nuclear assets and had control over the land and air-based nuclear weapons. The Air Force Strategic Command was active during the country's nuclear test experiments in 1998, and it had completely dismantle the role of the Army to take any decisions over the nuclear weapons. Its success influenced Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Pervez Musharraf to established a new formation that was created in June 1999. General Pervez Musharraf desired to have a formal command and control structure for the employment of Pakistan land based nuclear weapons, completely independent from the Air Force.
The Command was established after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered nuclear tests in 1998, under codename Chagai-I and Chagai-II in Balochistan Province. The command structure includes the Nuclear Command Authority, Strategic Plans Division, and the Strategic Forces Commands of Air Force, and the Pakistan Navy. The formation itself became operational in March 2000. It became a fully fledged corps in 2004.
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Wikipedia