The Balochistan government has merged the Levies force of three districts—Quetta, Gwadar, and Lasbela—into the provincial police force, despite resistance from both treasury and opposition members in the provincial assembly.
The decision, finalized during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir on January 6, was implemented immediately after consultations with the district administrations regarding the transfer of operational command from Levies to police. An official notification confirming the move was issued on Saturday.
Under the merger, 1,116 Levies personnel, including officers and staff, will be absorbed into the provincial police in these districts. The director general of the Levies Force had recommended this transition in a letter to the additional chief secretary of the home department, detailing the integration of Quetta, Gwadar, and Lasbela Levies into their respective district police forces.
The absorbed personnel, spanning various ranks such as weapons inspectors, clerks, risaldars, khassadars, jamadars, havildars, and soldiers, held positions from Grade 1 to Grade 11. Specifically, 346 personnel from Quetta, 381 from Gwadar, 220 from Lasbela, and 219 from Hub have been incorporated into the police forces.
Following the merger, the transfer of Levies stations, vehicles, weapons, and other equipment will occur after an assessment.
The decision faced significant opposition during the Balochistan Assembly’s recent winter session, with both opposition members and government representatives demanding its withdrawal. They argued for equipping the Levies Force with modern weapons, bulletproof vehicles, and other resources to enhance its capabilities rather than merging it with the police.
This is not the first time the Levies Force has been merged with the police. During Jam Yousaf’s coalition government, the Levies Force was integrated into the police. However, in 2008, the Nawab Aslam Raisani-led PPP government reversed the decision, restoring the Levies as a separate entity.
Historically, the Levies Force has been responsible for policing 90% of Balochistan, with the police covering the remaining 10%.
