Part 2
By Dr. Humam Khan
From the Colonial Army to the Pakistan Army
Although nearly seventy-eight years have passed since the establishment of Pakistan, the foundations of the Pakistani army were laid almost a century earlier, in 1849. For this reason, the military is not only nearly a hundred years older than the country itself in terms of institutional origin, but it has also exercised deep influence and extensive authority across virtually every sphere of the state. In Pakistan, the army is regarded as the primary pillar, while other institutions are often seen as secondary. Therefore, understanding the nearly century-long history preceding the creation of Pakistan is just as essential as grasping the army’s role and evolution after independence.
The “Presidency Armies” of British India
After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the British gradually began consolidating their control over the Indian subcontinent. British rulers were well aware that their authority did not rest on popular consent but on military power, and that maintaining this rule required a continuous reliance on armed force.
To ensure the continuity of their rule over India, the British devoted particular attention to building a disciplined and powerful army. Although history records many instances of nations being subjugated by force, it was an unusual arrangement for a society to be controlled through an army largely composed of its own people. Therefore the British decided to establish a force commanded by European officers, while its rank-and-file soldiers were drawn entirely from the Indian population.
This army was gradually organized, and the British structured it into three “Presidency Armies,” as follows:
Bengal Army
Bombay Army
Madras Army
British Rule over Western India (Present-Day Pakistan)
By the early decades of the nineteenth century, British colonial authority had become relatively consolidated in the eastern, southern, and central regions of India. At that time, the principal center of the northwestern region was Lahore, which served as the capital of the Sikh Empire.
At the height of its power, the Sikh state, according to today’s geographical map, extended its influence over present-day Pakistani Punjab, Indian Punjab, Kashmir, the administrative and urban areas of the North-West Frontier region, as well as certain parts of Sindh adjoining the Punjab frontier.
Against this historical backdrop, between 1825 and 1830, a structured jihad movement was launched under the leadership of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (RA) against Sikh rule. As a result of this movement, Mardan, Buner, Peshawar, and adjacent areas were liberated from Sikh control, and an organized Islamic system was established there under the authority of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed’s emirate.
In 1831, Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (RA) and his close companion, like-minded colleague, and the eminent Indian scholar Shah Ismail Shaheed (RA) were martyred in the region of Balakot while fighting against the Sikhs. Although their martyrdom appeared, outwardly, to be a severe blow to the military dimension of the movement, it left a profound intellectual and religious impact.
The movement strengthened religious consciousness among Muslims, promoted the reform of beliefs, and reinforced the spirit of resistance against oppressive forces. After the incident of Balakot, the movement temporarily fragmented; however, its ideological influence endured for a long time across northern India and the frontier regions.
On the other hand, after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder and powerful ruler of the Sikh Empire, in 1839, the Sikh state fell into severe political instability. Internal conspiracies, dynastic struggles for power, and divisions among military commanders significantly weakened its authority.
The British took advantage of this situation and, through the First Anglo–Sikh War in 1846 and the Second Anglo–Sikh War in 1849, eliminated the remaining resistance. Thus, by the end of 1849, all Sikh territories, including Punjab, had come under British rule.
During this same period, the British consolidated their authority in Punjab and the frontier regions (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), while simultaneously expanding their political and military influence in Sindh and Balochistan.
At that time, Sindh was ruled by the Muslim Amirs of the Talpur dynasty. However, due to internal disputes and political weakness, the state was divided into Khairpur and Mirpur. The British exploited this situation and, in 1843, defeated the Amirs of Sindh at the Battle of Miani, bringing a large portion of Sindh under British control.
Likewise, by 1839 the British had established their influence over Kalat in Balochistan, and in 1842 they formally implemented the system of a “Political Agent” there. Through this arrangement, they brought local tribal chiefs under their influence and gradually expanded their authority across Balochistan, until Quetta also came fully under British control in 1876.
In all these military and political measures, the British relied primarily on the Bengal and Madras armies. Following their victories, they stationed large numbers of troops and commanders in western India and the frontier regions, thereby further consolidating the foundations of British rule.
The Formation of the Frontier Force
After the annexation of Punjab and the frontier urban regions, the most serious challenge facing British colonial rule was the security of its western frontier. Although the movement of the mujahideen suffered a severe blow following the martyrdom of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (RA), it did not come to an end; rather, it gradually reorganized itself.
By 1845–46, an organized Islamic emirate had been established in Balakot, Garhi Habibullah, Mansehra, and Muzaffarabad, under the leadership of Maulana Inayat Ali Azeemabadi as its amir.
The continued activities of the mujahideen, along with tribal raids in Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, and other areas, alarmed the British authorities. To counter these threats, a new military formation known as the “Frontier Force” (Punjab Irregular Frontier Force) was established in 1849.
This force comprised ten units, five infantry and five cavalry, which were deployed along the tribal frontier in key locations such as Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Bannu, and Peshawar.
Each brigade was commanded by four European officers, under whose authority served sixteen (16) local commanders and nearly nine hundred (900) local soldiers. Most of these troops were drawn from the very Pashtun regions that had been occupied, so that their familiarity with the geography, language, and social structure could be utilized in operations. However, smaller numbers of Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus from Punjab and other parts of India were also included in the force.
In fact, the formation of the Frontier Force is considered the unofficial foundation of today’s Pakistani army. This brigade remains part of the Pakistan Army to this day and has retained its original name. In military circles, it is commonly referred to in short as the “Piffers.”
It is noteworthy that, both before and after the creation of Pakistan, not only do the armies share a similar name, but in practical terms, the operations of the Pakistani Army and the Frontier Corps closely mirror the objectives originally set nearly 170 years ago when the Frontier Force was established. These forces continue to carry out similar missions in tribal areas such as North and South Waziristan, Bajaur, Swat, Dir, Khyber, and Mohmand. It is also worth mentioning that some soldiers from this force participated in joint operations with American forces in Somalia in 1993.
