Created on 1 January 1987 in compliance to the UN Convention on Law of the Sea of 1982, the PMSA functions as a federal regulatory agency under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) whose command level leadership and personnel comes directly from the Pakistan Navy.: conts.

[5][6] Apart from enforcing maritime law, the PMSA conduct to assists in military operations against human trafficking, smuggling, and deep sea search and rescue.

[11][9] Since 2014, the mission objectives and area of responsibility of the PMSA has expanded substantially like to provide maritime protection to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

: 131 [7] After the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed in 1982, the Government of Pakistan established the Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) after acquiring the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 240,000 square miles (620,000 km2).

[17] The agency performs military operations authorized by the Ministry of Defence to protect the economic and maritime interests of Pakistan.

[17] BARRACUDA series of exercises are undertaken by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency to counter marine pollution of Pakistani waters.

[19] The exercise demonstrated preparedness around oil spill containment, counter-piracy, and search and rescue (SAR) operations.

[7]: 131 Pakistan Maritime Security Agency operates several vessels built locally at KSEW Ltd. and in China's Huangpu and Xijiang shipyards.