Army Cantonment Board
Encyclopedia
Cantonments in Pakistan are permanent military garrison areas, which are administered by Cantonment Boards under the control of the Military Lands & Cantonments Department (MLCD), Ministry of Defence, Government of Pakistan
. Cantonments are established under and governed by the Cantonments Act, 1924.
In 2011, there were a total of 43 Cantonments in Pakistan (see list below).
In 1880, another Act was passed to empower the cantonment authority to impose taxes and legal status was given to the cantonment committee. The Act gave power to impose fines and penalties for non-payment of taxes and for encroachments. After the first world war for reaching political changes took place in the sub-continent and it affected the administration of the cantonments as well. The changes also be-part of cantonment’s day-to-day life, had to be associated with its working.
The Cantonments Act, 1924 was the landmark in the history of cantonments as it brought in its wake some sweeping changes. The Act introduced the representative local government system under which elected representative of the civil population became members of the Cantonment Boards. The Board were created as autonomous statutory local bodies for providing civil services. The powers and functions of the Cantonment Board are synonymous to Municipal Committees in the cities. The members constituting the Board are both officially nominated as well as elected through a direct vote on the basis of adult franchise. Officials nominated as members obviously hold the majority and the Station Commander, who is a senior military officer, is the ex-officio President of the Board. This is to protect the interest of troops and ensure their welfare and discipline.
The administration of Cantonments and management of the military lands inside and outside the cantonments is centrally controlled and supervised by the Military Lands and Cantonments Department which is an attached department of the Ministry of Defence headed by a Director General. The Director General is assisted by an Additional Director and a Deputy Director at the headquarter. In addition five Regional Deputy Director based at Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta supervise the respective Cantonment Boards in their jurisdiction. The Cantonment Executive Officer is the principal executive at the local level. The Board normally decides and lays down policies and the Executive Officer executes these policies. He is the chief exponent of the Board’s policies. He acts as an adviser and is a permanent Officer specially trained in local administration. He is sufficiently empowered to carry out the policies and decisions and ensure adherence to the various laws and bye-laws. The presence of elected members in the Board has a salutary effect and is most beneficial for the civilian residents because they are the media to convey their views. The elected members play an important role in the development of public services in their respective areas. Development works are usually carried out in consultation with the respective elected members. Major development schemes are finalized in the Budget meeting held before the beginning of the fiscal year, with the consent of all the members.
The Cantonment Board is an organ of the local government and is free to formulate policies for local development within the frame work of the Cantonments Act and other Government Regulations. The Board ordinarily holds on meeting every month. All matters are decided by majority but in case of a tie, the matter is decided through the Presidents casting vote. All meetings of the Board are open meetings unless specifically directed otherwise by the President of the Board.
All Cantonments Board work under the administrative control of the Director General, Military Lands and Cantonments. The Director General issues various directives on important policy matters from time to time and the Cantonment Boards comply with the same. All accounts are audited annually by the Audit Department of the Government of Pakistan.
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
. Cantonments are established under and governed by the Cantonments Act, 1924.
In 2011, there were a total of 43 Cantonments in Pakistan (see list below).
Administration of Cantonments
Prior to 1864, cantonments used to be administered by military authorities under various Government Orders. In 1864, for the first time, an Act was adopted for improving the administration of the cantonments. A magistrate was appointed to administer the area. The Act also regulated the funds granted by Government for the purpose of bettering the various facilities.In 1880, another Act was passed to empower the cantonment authority to impose taxes and legal status was given to the cantonment committee. The Act gave power to impose fines and penalties for non-payment of taxes and for encroachments. After the first world war for reaching political changes took place in the sub-continent and it affected the administration of the cantonments as well. The changes also be-part of cantonment’s day-to-day life, had to be associated with its working.
The Cantonments Act, 1924 was the landmark in the history of cantonments as it brought in its wake some sweeping changes. The Act introduced the representative local government system under which elected representative of the civil population became members of the Cantonment Boards. The Board were created as autonomous statutory local bodies for providing civil services. The powers and functions of the Cantonment Board are synonymous to Municipal Committees in the cities. The members constituting the Board are both officially nominated as well as elected through a direct vote on the basis of adult franchise. Officials nominated as members obviously hold the majority and the Station Commander, who is a senior military officer, is the ex-officio President of the Board. This is to protect the interest of troops and ensure their welfare and discipline.
The administration of Cantonments and management of the military lands inside and outside the cantonments is centrally controlled and supervised by the Military Lands and Cantonments Department which is an attached department of the Ministry of Defence headed by a Director General. The Director General is assisted by an Additional Director and a Deputy Director at the headquarter. In addition five Regional Deputy Director based at Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta supervise the respective Cantonment Boards in their jurisdiction. The Cantonment Executive Officer is the principal executive at the local level. The Board normally decides and lays down policies and the Executive Officer executes these policies. He is the chief exponent of the Board’s policies. He acts as an adviser and is a permanent Officer specially trained in local administration. He is sufficiently empowered to carry out the policies and decisions and ensure adherence to the various laws and bye-laws. The presence of elected members in the Board has a salutary effect and is most beneficial for the civilian residents because they are the media to convey their views. The elected members play an important role in the development of public services in their respective areas. Development works are usually carried out in consultation with the respective elected members. Major development schemes are finalized in the Budget meeting held before the beginning of the fiscal year, with the consent of all the members.
The Cantonment Board is an organ of the local government and is free to formulate policies for local development within the frame work of the Cantonments Act and other Government Regulations. The Board ordinarily holds on meeting every month. All matters are decided by majority but in case of a tie, the matter is decided through the Presidents casting vote. All meetings of the Board are open meetings unless specifically directed otherwise by the President of the Board.
All Cantonments Board work under the administrative control of the Director General, Military Lands and Cantonments. The Director General issues various directives on important policy matters from time to time and the Cantonment Boards comply with the same. All accounts are audited annually by the Audit Department of the Government of Pakistan.
Balochistan Province
- KhuzdarKhuzdarKhuzdar or Khozdar is a town located in Khuzdar District in Balochistan, Pakistan. Khuzdar is the capital of Khuzdar District, which was created on 1 March 1974...
Cantonment - LoralaiLoralaiLoralai is the principal city of Loralai District in the northeast of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It was formerly known as Bori. It is four thousand seven hundred feet above the sea level....
Cantonment - OrmaraOrmaraOrmara is a port city located in the Makran or coastal region of Balochistan Province in Pakistan. It is located 360 km west of Karachi and 230 km east of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. This port is also mentioned in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as Oraea.- History :Ormara is an old...
Cantonment - Quetta CantonmentQuetta CantonmentQuetta Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Quetta in Balochistan province of Pakistan....
- ZhobZhob-Roads:Zhob is 333 kilometers from Quetta, 225 kilometers from Dera Ismail Khan. However, the road linking with Dera Ismail Khan is for most part fair nowadays track passing through water streams and almost complete road is metalloid....
Cantonment
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province
- Abbottabad CantonmentAbbottabad CantonmentAbbotabad Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Abbotabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Pakistan Military Academy is located at Kakul adjacent to Abbotabad Cantonment....
- Bannu CantonmentBannu CantonmentBannu Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Bannu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Cherat Cantonment
- Dera Ismail Khan CantonmentDera Ismail Khan CantonmentDera Ismail Khan Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Havelian CantonmentHavelian CantonmentHavelian Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Havelian in Abbottabad District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Kohat CantonmentKohat CantonmentKohat Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Mardan CantonmentMardan CantonmentMardan Cantonment is a cantonment in the centre of Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.The famous regiment of Pakistan Army "The Punjab Regiment centre" is here in Mardan.The cantonment has a large area for training and offices....
- Murree Gallies Cantonment
- Nowshera CantonmentNowshera CantonmentNowshera Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Peshawar CantonmentPeshawar CantonmentPeshawar Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
- Risalpur CantonmentRisalpur CantonmentRisalpur Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Risalpur in Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
Punjab Province
- Attock CantonmentAttock CantonmentAttock Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Attock in Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Bhawalpur CantonmentBhawalpur CantonmentBahawalpur Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Bahawalpur in Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Chaklala CantonmentChaklala CantonmentChaklala Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to PAF Base Chaklala in Rawalpindi, Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Gujranwala CantonmentGujranwala CantonmentGujranwala Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Gujranwala in Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Jhelum CantonmentJhelum CantonmentJhelum Cantt. or Jhelum Cantonment is cantonment area in Jhelum adjacent to city area. It is one of the important cantonment of Pakistan, which was built during the British rule in 1849 which has grown up into a strong Garrison...
- Kamra CantonmentKamra CantonmentKamra Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Kamra Airbase in Attock District, Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Kharian CantonmentKharian CantonmentKharian Cantt. or Kharian Cantonment is one of the largest cantonment of Pakistan. It was built in late 50's with the support of USA as part of the military assistance to Pakistan. Its construction was supervised by the U.S...
- Lahore Cantonment
- Mangla Cantonment
- Multan CantonmentMultan CantonmentMultan Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Multan in Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Murree Hills CantonmentMurree Hills CantonmentMurree Hills Cantonment is a cantonment in Muree Hills, Rawalpindi District, Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Okara CantonmentOkara CantonmentOkara Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Okara in Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Rawalpindi CantonmentRawalpindi CantonmentRawalpindi Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Rawalpindi in Punjab province, Pakistan. The Headquarter of Pakistan Army called General HeadQuarters is also located in Rawalpindi cantonment....
- Sanjwal CantonmentSanjwal CantonmentSanjwal Cantonment is a cantonment town in Attock district, Punjab province, Pakistan.Many workers from of Pakistan Ordnance Factories live in the town....
- Sargodha CantonmentSargodha CantonmentSargodha Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Sargodha Airbase in Sargodha, Punjab province, Pakistan.Cantt Board Sargodha OfficeClub Road, Sargodha Cantt-PakistanTel:+92-48-9230202Fax:+92-48-9230201...
- Shorkot CantonmentShorkot CantonmentShorkot Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to PAF Base Rafiqui in Shorkot, Jhang District, Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Sialkot CantonmentSialkot CantonmentSialkot Cantonment is cantonment area in Sialkot adjacent to city area. It is one of the oldest and most important Cantonments of Pakistan. It was established in 1852 by the British Indian Army. As gleaned from the old records, the Sialkot Cantonment is the precursor of Wazirabad Garrison which...
- Taxila CantonmentTaxila CantonmentTaxila Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Taxila in Rawalpindi District, Punjab province, Pakistan....
- Wah Cantonment
- Walton CantonmentWalton CantonmentWalton Cantonment is a cantonment area situated in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.Lahore Cantonment with its increasing population and extensions to the boundaries had become difficult to manage and in 1998 it was bifurcated into two administrative divisions, Lahore Cantonment and the new Walton...
Sindh Province
- Chhor Cantonment
- Clifton CantonmentClifton CantonmentThe Clifton Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947...
, Karachi - Faisal CantonmentFaisal CantonmentThe Faisal Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947...
, Karachi - Hyderabad CantonmentHyderabad CantonmentHyderabad Cantonment is a cantonment adjacent to Hyderabad in Sindh province of Pakistan....
- Karachi CantonmentKarachi CantonmentThe Karachi Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in August 1942, and taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947...
- Korangi Creek CantonmentKorangi Creek CantonmentKorangi Creek Cantonment or Korangi Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army when Britain...
, Karachi - Malir CantonmentMalir CantonmentThe Malir Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment.-History :...
, Karachi - Manora CantonmentManora CantonmentThe Manora Cantonment is a cantonment town in a small Manora Island, located just south of the Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Pakistan Army...
, Karachi - Pano Aqil Cantonment