QUETTA, July 24: The Jamait Ulema Islam (JUI-F) and provincial ministers affiliated with it have opposed the government's decision to merge the Levies force with police.

They said that the rural area comprising 95 per cent of total Balochistan territory was far better administered than cities.

In a joint statement here on Friday night MNA Maulana Noor Muhammad and provincial ministers Hafiz Hussain Ahmed Shurudy, Maulana Abdur Rahim Bazai and Maulana Dur Muhammad Pirkani said that Balochistan was inhabited by different tribes and the Levies staff hailing from these tribes know the tribal traditions.

They said that crimes ratio in the interior of the province was low whereas in the urban areas controlled by police this was high.

Besides, they added, the expenditure of levies staff compared to police was minimum.

The JUI-F statement asserted that the Muttihada Majlis-i-Amal ministers in the cabinet meeting had not backed the decision to merge the levies with police as it would create problems.

The party said that the government should restore the status of levies to allow the rural force to play its role in the tribal society.