• House also approves upgradation of Margha Kabzai to a sub-division
• Lawmakers demand parity in police salaries with other provinces
• CM Bugti proposes committee to review legislators’ pay and perks

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Friday adopted two resolutions, calling for the inclusion of the province’s major development projects in the second pha­se of the China-Pakistan Eco­no­mic Corridor (CPEC) and for the upgradation of Margha Kabzai to the status of a sub-division.

The house also discussed making the salary structure of Balochistan Police equivalent to that of other provinces. In addition, a proposal was referred for review to the Finance Committee regarding an increase in the salaries of assembly members.

Soon after the session started, which was presided over by Spe­aker Captain (R) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, the Emir Jamaat-i-Is­l­ami Balochistan, Maulana Hid­a­yatur Rehman, through a call-attention notice, drew attention to the disparity in salaries of Ba­­lochistan Police personnel compared to other provinces.

He said the police had rendered countless sacrifices for maintaining peace in the province, yet their salaries remained significantly lower than those of other provincial forces, leading to frustration among the ranks.

Responding to the notice, Provincial Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani acknowledged the issue and assured the House that the government would take necessary steps to bring police salaries on par with other provinces.

Later, Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Kabzai of JUI-F presented a resolution urging the government to grant tehsil status to Margha Kabzai, a backward area with a population of around 110,000 comprising the Babbar, Sherani, Khosti, and Kabzai tribes.

He said that despite its geographical importance, Margha Kabzai had long been neglected, and residents were forced to live without essential services. The resolution called for immediate administrative action to declare the area a sub-division. After a brief discussion, the House unanimously approved the resolution.

In another significant move, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman presented a resolution demanding that Balochistan be included in CPEC Phase-II projects. He said that while billions of dollars have already been spent under the CPEC framework, the people of Balochistan had not reaped any tangible benefits.

He criticised the federal government for excluding the province from the ongoing CPEC Phase-II initiatives. “We do not seek charity in the name of fuel savings. We are proud Baloch and Pashtuns who only demand our fair share in CPEC,” he said.

Supporting the resolution, BNP-Awami MPA Mir Asadullah Baloch stated that had CPEC been implemented properly, the province would not be facing security challenges today.

During the session, National Party MPA Kulsoom Niaz Baloch raised a point of order suggesting a review of lawmakers’ salaries and perks. Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai responded that after Punjab, the Balochistan Assem­bly members already receive the highest salaries in the country.

JUI-F’s Shahida Rauf raised concerns over the recent abduction of 18 labourers in Khuzdar, pointing out that 27 workers had been kidnapped in Balochistan within a week.

Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, while addressing the House, proposed that lawmakers’ salaries should be reviewed and brought in line with those of Punjab Assembly members. He suggested forming a committee to examine the matter, which the speaker accepted, directing that the issue be referred to the Finance Committee for detailed consideration.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2025