QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet has approved the dissolution of all local bodies institutions in the province on Feb 8 next year upon completion of their constitutional term, with fresh local government elections, including in Quetta where the administrative division has been split into two districts, to be held thereafter.

Chief minister’s aide Shahid Rind while briefing the media after a cabinet meeting on Friday said proposed amendments to the Balochistan Right to Information Commission Act, 2021, were also approved during the huddle with the aim of improving transparency.

He said the cabinet decided that before the next LG elections, all matters relating to the creation of new districts, delimitation of constituencies and court rulings would be placed before the Election Commission of Pakistan to establish a practical and legal framework for the polls.

Another major decision taken by the cabinet was to authorise all sessions judges, additional sessions judges and first-class judicial magistrates across the province to conduct trials under the Control of Narcotic Substances law in order to expedite narcotics-related cases.

He said the cabinet had approved the establishment of new police stations in Hub and Dam, along with a women’s police station in Dalbandin.

The cabinet also approved the Balochistan Public-Private Partnership Rules 2026, the establishment of a cooperative housing society for secretariat employees, and the renaming of the minority affairs department as the interfaith harmony department.

To a question, Mr Rind said the government had attempted to hold talks with young doctors protesting against the acid attack on a female colleague, but they had refused negotiations.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026