The Northern Light Infantry has its origins in the Gilgit Scouts raised by British India in 1913 for defending the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir's northern frontier. The Scouts, along with rebels in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, fought for Pakistan on the northern front of the First Kashmir War, conquering important points of interest such as Skardu, Kargil and Batalik (the latter two were subsequently captured by the Indian Army). In 1949, the Gilgit Scouts were split into two forces, with the wing under the original name designated for internal security operations, and a second wing, named the Northern Scouts, designated for major external operations. In 1964, the Northern Scouts were further bifurcated with the raising of the Karakoram Scouts based in Skardu. All three forces were brought together again in 1975, under the banner of the Northern Light Infantry (then a Pakistani paramilitary force). Following the Kargil War with India, where the Northern Light Infantry saw extensive combat, the force was converted into regular regiment of the Pakistan Army.