DERA GHAZI KHAN: The command of Baloch Levies will be handed over to Punjab police and the status of Border Military Police (BMP) will not change, says a handout issued by the Dera Ghazi Khan director public relations office.

A meeting held with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in the chair decided that fresh recruitment would be made besides provision of modern weapons and training to both forces.

The meeting discussed streamlining of matters of tribal area tehsil Koh Sulaiman of the district.

Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan Sara Aslam and provincial head of Punjab police, additional chief secretary (south Punjab) along with other respective officers attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that Baloch Levies (paramilitary force of the colonial era) would be brought under the command of an ‘appropriate’ officer of Punjab police. The structure of BMP would not change and it would remain under the command of political assistant to tribal area tehsil.

The meeting decided to make fresh recruitment in both forces [on merit] besides imparting military training and provision of modern weapons to enhance the performance.

It merits mentioning that at present BMP and Baloch Levies are under the command of political assistant to tribal area tehsil Koh Sulaiman.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2021