The X Corps of the Pakistan Army is headquartered at Chaklala Cantonment in the Punjab province. Along with the I Corps, the X Corps is responsible for defending the Kashmir region under Pakistani control. The X Corps specialises in mountain and winter warfare, providing security in Pakistan’s mountainous regions in coordination with local law enforcement and paramilitary forces as part of the Northern Command. The X Corps has faced the Indian Army across the Line of Control and Pakistan’s northern borders since its deployment in 1974. It fought in the Siachen conflict in 1984 and the 1999 border war with India. Since 1974, the X Corps’ primary mission has been to counter the threat of Indian advances along Pakistan’s northern frontiers. Lieutenant General Shahid Imtiaz is at present the Corps Commander.
Order of Battle
12th Infantry Division – Murree
The 12 Infantry Division was established in 1948 and consists of troops that were allocated after the partition of the British Indian Army. It is the Pakistan Army’s largest infantry division, made up of six infantry brigades and units from other branches and services, with headquarters located in Murree. Its brigades are positioned opposite India along the Line of Control (LoC) and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
23rd Infantry Division – Jhelum
The 23rd Infantry Division is one of the two divisions that carried out the First Battle of Swat (known as ‘Operation Rah-e-Haq’) in the upper Swat and Shangla districts from November 2007 to December 2008. However, after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the division returned to its original location in Jhelum in December 2008. The 23rd Infantry Division is now deployed along the Kotli Bhimber axis, with its headquarters situated in Jhelum.
19th Infantry Division – Mangla
The division is an expert in mountain combat and according to an article in Global Security, is tasked with defending the region between Kel and Jhelum. The brigades belonging to this division are stationed in PoK and the headquarters are located in Mangla. Some reports indicate the formation is now under the command of Pakistan’s 1 Corps, headquartered in Mangla.
The 34th Light Infantry Division/Special Security Division (SSD)
The CPEC Special Security Division is a two-star formation of the Pakistan Army that was established in September 2016 to address significant worries about protecting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its employees from major domestic and external dangers. It is made up of 15,000 troops organized into nine army infantry battalions and six paramilitary units (from the Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps), with the latter financed by the Interior Ministry. Following the May 2019 assault on a hotel in Gwadar, Pakistan declared that it would establish another division of the organization to safeguard CPEC resources. In some reports, the division has been referred to as the 34th Light Infantry Division, with its main role being as a strategic reserve for operations in the Neelum Valley of Pakistan.
Force Command Northern Areas – Gilgit
The Force Command Northern Areas is a Pakistan Army division that oversees troops stationed in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. After losing territory including three villages (Turtuk, Thang, Tyakshi) in the Turtuk area during the 1971 war, Pakistan recognized the need for a stronger permanent military presence in the region rather than relying solely on the Karakorum and Northern Scouts. As a result, the Force Command Northern Area was formed in 1972 as a brigade-sized unit tasked with defending the Line of Control in what was then called the Northern Areas. In 1975, the formation expanded to a division under the command of a Major General. The FCNA division is now responsible for defending the northern regions of Pakistan. Headquartered in Gilgit, its five brigades (80th, 150th, 323rd, 62nd, 61st Infantry Brigades) are primarily deployed against India. The division’s emblem features a snow leopard on a black background.
Order of Battle
80th Infantry Brigade –Astor
150th Infantry Brigade –Gilgit
323rd Infantry Brigade Karakoram-Dansam
62nd Infantry Brigade –Skardu
61st Infantry Brigade
Independent Engineering Brigade
Independent Signal Brigade
5 Aviation Squadron
111 Independent Infantry Brigade– Rawalpindi
The 111th Infantry Brigade, based in Rawalpindi, has historically been utilized by the Pakistani Army to execute coups d’état and seize control of government institutions. Most recently, the brigade was instrumental in the 1999 overthrow of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by General Pervez Musharraf. Though the brigade’s primary responsibilities are providing security and protocols for visiting dignitaries as well as safeguarding the President and Prime Minister, it has gained notoriety for supplying the personnel and firepower to enable senior military officers to topple civilian administrations. The 111th Brigade is made up of five infantry battalions, two light artillery regiments, a Special Services Group battalion, and one armored regiment. During wartime or national emergencies, the brigade serves as a reserve force for the Kharian Corps.
Order of Battle
6th Battalion, Punjab Regiment
11th Battalion, Baloch Regiment
1st Battalion, Frontier Force Regiment
1st Battalion, Azad Kashmir Regiment
2nd Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment
5th Horse (Probyn’s Horse)
one airborne battalion
two light artillery batteries
one air defence battery
8th Independent Armoured Brigade Khairan, Punjab
Independent Artillery Brigade Independent Signal Brigade
Independent Engineering Brigade