• Budget, assets, records, arms and infrastructure transferred to police
• CM Bugti says decision resolves long-standing administrative ambiguity
• ISPR chief terms move part of efforts to ‘combat terror-crime nexus at grassroots’

QUETTA: The provincial government has formally merged the over century-old Levies Force into the Balochistan Police, and abolished all ‘B’ areas across the province, converting them into ‘A’ areas for the purpose of territorial jurisdiction of the provincial police.

The two areas defined the territorial jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies within the province. The Balochistan Police acted as the law enforcement agency in ‘A’ areas, while the Levies Force operated in ‘B’ areas, functioning under the command of division and district officials.

The process of merging the Balochistan Levies and ex-federal Levies into the police force had been under way for a long time and has now been completed, with the provincial government moving to enforce a uniform system of laws and regulations under a single command across the province.

The provincial government declared Sibi and Loralai divisions as ‘A-Areas’ for the territorial jurisdiction of the Balochistan Police, according to a notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat on Monday evening.

It said all members of the Levies Force, both provincial and ex-federal, serving in the converted areas, as well as members of the CPEC Wing, were merged into the Balochistan Police in their existing nomenclature, ranks, pay scales and benefits, corresponding to those applicable to police personnel.

Furthermore, the services, administration and functioning of the merged Levies Force and the converted areas will henceforth be governed by the provisions of the Balochistan Police Act.

The notification said that in continuation of the decision, all budgetary allocations and finances, DDO codes, arms and ammunition, police stations, check-posts and pickets, vehicles, records and investigations, training institutions, and all ancillary and auxiliary infrastructure pertaining to the Levies Force in the converted areas would be transferred to the Balochistan Police with immediate effect.

It further stated that the superintendent of police of a converted district would, upon request, place police personnel at the disposal of the district administration and other government functionaries for assistance in the enforcement of local and special laws and for other lawful public duties.

The commissioners of Sibi and Loralai divisions have been directed to complete the transition process within 30 days of the issuance of the notification.

‘Ambiguity resolved’

Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, in a post on X, said the “longstanding administrative ambiguity over the implementation of a uniform law in Balochistan has been officially resolved”.

“The division into A and B area categories has been abolished, and the Levies Force has been formally and legally merged into the Balochistan Police,” he said, adding that the decision would clarify state responsibilities and further strengthen the scope of public protection.

The matter also came up in the ISPR chief’s press conference on Tuesday. Talking about the move, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, “This will have far-reaching consequences. This is again part of efforts to combat terrorism at the ground level and terror-crime nexus at the grassroots level.”

In October last year, the Balochistan government merged the provincial and federal Levies forces with the police in six out of eight administrative divisions of the province, declaring these divisions as A-areas.

The six divisions included Quetta, Kalat, Makran, Zhob, Rakhshan and Nasirabad. However, the Levies Force in Sibi and Loralai divisions, which included Dera Bugti, Sibi, Kohlu, Harnai, Ziarat and other districts, were not merged into the Balochistan Police.

Professional responsibilities

The Balochistan Police have stepped up efforts to strengthen their training system and improve residential and welfare facilities to better prepare former Levies personnel, merged from ‘B’ areas to ‘A’ areas, for their professional responsibilities.

Officials said that enhancing the quality of policing was essential to restoring public trust and ensuring sustainable law and order in the province.

As part of the initiative, professionalism, transparency, accountability and the use of modern technology have been declared essential for effective policing. Significant improvements have been made to accommodation and basic facilities at the Police Training College (PTC), Quetta, to create a more conducive and efficient training environment for trainees from various districts of Balochistan.

At present, 772 former Levies personnel are availing training and residential facilities at PTC Quetta.

A comprehensive three-month training programme for personnel merged from ‘B’ areas to ‘A’ areas began on Jan 1 this year. The programme includes physical training, weapons handling, marksmanship and counterterrorism skills to enable trainees to respond effectively to security challenges.

Training is being conducted on modern lines, with special emphasis on improving investigative skills, legal awareness, intelligence-based policing and community participation.

PTC Commandant Shahzad Akbar said residential blocks had been equipped with modern facilities to provide safe and comfortable accommodation to personnel during training. He added that a modern futsal ground had been established to promote physical fitness and healthy activities, while the parade ground had been upgraded to meet training requirements and ensure safety during practical exercises.

Muhammad Akbar Notezai also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2026