Covert Action Division

The Covert Action Division (CAD) is the special forces unit of the Inter-Services Intelligence. It is responsible for paramilitary and covert operations. It is tasked to collect intelligence and conduct covert operations in hostile environments and war-zones. It is similar in its function and structure to the CIA Special Activities Center.^[1]

Covert Action Division
Urdu: خفیہ ایکشن ڈویژن Persian: بخش اقدام مخفی Arabic: قسم العمليات السرية
Active	1948–present
Country	Pakistan
Type	Special force, paramilitary
Role	Special operations, asymmetric warfare, covert operations
Size	Classified
Part of	Inter-Service Intelligence
Headquarters	Islamabad, Pakistan
Known operations	Waziristan rebellion (1948–1954) Afghan conflict 1975 Panjshir Valley uprising Soviet–Afghan War Afghan Civil War (1989–1992) Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) Afghan Civil War (1996–2001) War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Yugoslav wars Bosnian war Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War Third Indo-Pakistani War Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir Terrorism in Pakistan Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Insurgency in Balochistan Iraqi conflict War in Iraq (2013–2017)
Commanders
Current commander	Director-General Lt. Gen. Asim Malik

History and formation

After the formation of ISI in 1948, Pakistan faced challenges in the Tribal Agencies of Waziristan caused by the Faqir of Ipi. In response, a group of die-hard persons from the Pakistan Army and the Gilgit scouts was trained. They formed the new directorate of ISI. Their main task was to counter the influence of Faqir of Ipi and to delay any Afghan incursion until the main force of the Pakistan Army arrives.^{[citation needed]}

Until November 1954, the CAD was mostly aimed to counter insurgency in Waziristan but after that, its role was slowly expanded outside Waziristan, and a new unit was raised in East Pakistan to conduct counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against the Indian-backed Mukti Bahini. Its role was expanded in the late 1980s to assist the Khalistan movement, headed by Jagjit Singh Chauhan.

During the 1960s, the unit received training from the CIA and again received training in the 1980s to assist the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion. The unit also took part in many battles against Soviets, including direct raids into the Soviet Union.

Little is known about the unit as it is one of the most classified elements of the ISI, working with a limited number of senior officers.

Since 1990s, there have been strong allegations that CAD teams are involved in recruiting and training freedom fighters (rebels and mujahideen) from both Indian Kashmir and Pakistani Kashmir to operate in India.^[2]

Training

CAD operatives are trained in home developed tactics. They are also trained to a high level of proficiency in the tactical employment of an unusually wide degree of modern weaponry, improvised explosive devices, irregular warfare tactics, explosive devices and firearms (foreign and domestic), hand-to-hand combat, high performance/tactical driving (on and off-road), apprehension avoidance (including picking handcuffs and escaping from confinement), cyber warfare, covert channels, high-altitude military parachuting, SCUBA diving and amphibious operations, proficiency in foreign languages, surreptitious entry operations (picking or otherwise bypassing locks), vehicle hot-wiring, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, extreme survival and wilderness training, combat EMS medical training, tactical communications, and tracking.^{[citation needed]}

As fully trained intelligence case officers, paramilitary operations officers possess all the clandestine skills to collect human intelligence – and most importantly – to recruit assets from among the indigenous troops receiving their training. These officers often operate in remote locations behind enemy lines to carry out direct action (including raids and sabotage), counter-intelligence, guerrilla/unconventional warfare, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue missions, in addition to being able to conduct espionage via Human intelligence assets. As such, paramilitary operations officers are trained to operate in a multitude of environments.

Recruitment

Recruits of the CAD are typically either serving, or retired members of Pakistan Army's Special Service Group, Pakistan Navy's Special Service Group Navy, and Pakistan Air Force's Special Services Wing.^[3] This is also very similar to the CIA's Special Activities Centre.^[4][5][6]