Frontier Constabulary becomes Federal Force after 110 years

PESHAWAR: The federal government has finally transformed the 110-year-old historic force Frontier Constabulary (FC) into a federal force, making the name FC a part of history. This decision is being opposed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and several other political parties in the province. Let’s take a historical look at this force — when it was formed, what its responsibilities were, and which notable individuals served as its commandants.

The Frontier Constabulary was established in 1915 during British rule by merging the Border Military Police and Samana Rifles. The force was named Frontier Constabulary in accordance with the name of the then Frontier Province.

Initially, the purpose of establishing the FC was to maintain law and order in the former tribal districts and Frontier Regions. The responsibilities assigned to the force included:

• Guarding the border between tribal and settled areas
• Preventing drug trafficking, illegal arms, and smuggling
• Eradicating poppy cultivation
• Assisting the local administration when needed

However, over time, its core duties were gradually sidelined, and the force became primarily limited to internal security roles, including protecting key installations and foreign embassies.

The head of the Frontier Constabulary is called the Commandant, a senior officer of the Pakistan Police Service (PSP), usually in Grade 21 or 22. From 1915 to 2025, a total of 40 officers have served as FC Commandant, nine of whom were British. The first Commandant of FC was Boyle Esq, and the last was Riaz Nazir.

After the creation of Pakistan, several notable PSP officers served as Commandants of the Frontier Constabulary (CFC), including: Nawabzada Farid Khan, Anwar Afridi, Pir Sarwar Shah, Muzaffar Bangash, Dil Jan Khan, Abbas Khan, Saeed Khan, Syed Kamal Shah, Israr Shinwari, Malik Naveed Khan, Safwat Ghayur, Akbar Khan Hoti, and Salahuddin Mehsud.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, through the Frontier Constabulary Reorganization Ordinance 2025, transformed the century-old Frontier Constabulary into a Federal Force. According to the ordinance, this Federal Force will operate in all four provinces, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Its responsibilities will include:

• Riot control
• Internal security
• Counter-terrorism
• Protection duties

According to Commandant FC Riaz Nazir, the Federal Force will comprise 6 divisions and 41 wings. A Special Protection Wing has also been established within the force for the security of sensitive installations and important personalities across the country.

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