Strategic Plans Division Force
The Strategic Plans Division Force is a paramilitary unit responsible for safeguarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, including both tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, as well as the security of nuclear facilities where these weapons and materials are produced and stored.
It is the security branch of the Strategic Plans Division which in turn acts as the certification secretariat of National Command Authority.
Historical background and role
The Strategic Plans Division Force is paramilitary force that is responsible for providing provision of security to country's strategic sites and protecting the nuclear materials. It's a heavily armed force, which is reflective of the anticipated capabilities of an adversary likely to attempt an assault against nuclear material-holding sites.The leadership appointment of the Strategic Plans Division Force comes directly from Pakistan Army. Designated as a Director-General Security, its a two-star rank general officer who reports directly to Director General of the Strategic Plans Division. There are four security directorates for each strategic organization and each directorate is led by Brigadier.
Initially, the active-duty members of the Pakistan Armed Forces provided the security of the agency but the agency now has started hiring its own personnel. At start, these recruits were trained at Pakistan Army's training centers but since 2012 SPD force has been training these recruits in its own academy known as Pakistan’s Centre of Excellence for Nuclear Security located in Chakri near Rawalpindi. This training facility is modeled on US National Nuclear Security Administration's Federal Protective Forces academy.