QUETTA: A high-level review meeting, chaired by Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, was held at the Chief Minister Secretariat on Friday to finalize the administrative and technical integration of the Levies Force into the provincial police.
The meeting, attended by key officials including Additional Chief Secretary Home Hamza Shafqat, IG Police Muhammad Tahir Khan, and DG Levies Abdul Ghaffar Magsi, reviewed in detail the challenges faced by officers and personnel transitioning from the Levies into the police. Various administrative proposals were presented to resolve these issues, with a firm agreement that transparency and merit would be ensured at every stage of the merger process.
Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, directing the concerned authorities, emphasized that the merger must be conducted in an “effective and dignified manner.” Key directives included the finalization of proposals related to promotions, transfers, and seniority for all categories of personnel. A significant point was the one-step promotion for the Risaldar Major of the Levies Force. Furthermore, the Chief Minister ordered the introduction of modern training modules and the provision of basic police training to Levies personnel to enhance their capacity and standardize their skills.
CM Bugti expressed his determination that this integration would lead to a significant increase in the functionality and coordination of law enforcement agencies across Balochistan. He stated that the implementation of a uniform force is a government priority and would prove to be a milestone in establishing sustainable peace. The transition from the Levies to the police will be completed in a phased manner under a coordinated strategy, aligning law enforcement with modern requirements to better serve the people of the province.
In a separate move the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has launched a severe critique against the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), labeling it a “mafia” that is snatching the “right to live” from the poor people of Balochistan instead of providing them with essential gas services. In a press release issued from its provincial secretariat, the party detailed a series of alleged failures and exploitative practices by the state-owned utility provider.
The PkMAP statement accuses the SSGC of burdening households with excessively heavy bills and imposing fines under various pretexts, rather than ensuring a consistent gas supply. The party claims that the company is not only creating an artificial shortage and reducing gas pressure but also engaging in nightly gas load-shedding under the guise of combating gas theft, which severely impacts small industries .
