53rd Sikhs ( Frontier Force ) The 53rd Sikhs ( Frontier Force ) were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army . It was raised in 1847 as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade . It was designated as the 53rd Sikhs ( Frontier Force ) in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion ( Sikhs ) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922 . In 1947 , it was allocated to the Pakistan Army , where it continues to exist as 5th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment . Early History . The regiment was raised on 1 January 1847 at Ferozepur as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade by Captain DF Winter . It was composed of Sikhs , Punjabi Muslims , Pathans , Dogras and Hindustanis . In 1847 , it was designated 3rd Regiment of Sikh Local Infantry , becoming the 3rd Regiment of Sikh Infantry in 1857 . In 1851 , it became part of the Punjab Irregular Force , which later became famous as the Punjab Frontier Force or The Piffers . The Piffers consisted of five regiments of cavalry , eleven regiments of infantry and five batteries of artillery besides the Corps of Guides . Their mission was to maintain order on the Punjab Frontier ; a task they performed with great aplomb . On the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny in 1857 , the Hindustani Company was disbanded . In 1858 the 3rd Sikh Infantry took part in mopping up operations in North India . During the Second Afghan War of 1878 - 80 , the regiment took part in the defence of Sherpur Cantonment and the Battle of Kandahar , while in 1897 , it served in the Tirah Campaign . Subsequent to the reforms brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903 , the regiment ' s designation was changed to 53rd Sikhs ( Frontier Force ) . In 1914 , the regiment ' s class composition was four companies of Sikhs , two of Pathans , and one each of Punjabi Muslims and Dogras . During the First World War , the regiment served throughout with the 28th Frontier Force Brigade . In 1915 , it served in Egypt and Aden ( Yemen ) , moving to Mesopotamia in December . Here , it fought with great gallantry in the bloody battles for the Relief of Kut al Amara on the Tigris Front in 1916 - 17 , the capture of Baghdad and in operations north of Baghdad at Istabulat , Daur and Tikrit . In 1918 , the regiment moved to Palestine and took part in the Battle of Megiddo , which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine . It returned to India in 1920 . Subsequent History . After the First World War , the 53rd Sikhs were grouped with the 51st , 52nd and 54th Sikhs , and the two battalions of Guides Infantry to form the 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922 . The 53rd Sikhs became 3rd Battlaion ( Sikhs ) of the new regiment . For their excellent performance in World War I , they were made a ' Royal ' battalion in 1935 . During the Second World War , 3 FF served with great distinction in the Italian East Africa , Sicily , Italy and Greece . In 1947 , the Frontier Force Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army . In 1948 , 3 FF fought in the Kashmir War against India . In 1956 , the Frontier Force Rifles and the Pathan Regiment were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment , and 3 FF was redesignated as 5 FF . During the Indo - Pakistan War of 1965 , the battalion greatly distinguished itself in the Battle of Khem Karan , while during the Indo - Pakistan War of 1971 it served in Kashmir .