An undated image showing Levies staff.
QUETTA:
The Balochistan government has officially merged the Levies Force with the provincial police, abolishing all “B” zones and converting them to “A” zones, a move that officials say resolves a long-standing administrative ambiguity and ensures uniform enforcement of the law across the province.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced the decision regarding
The cabinet approved the measure, with Sibi and Loralai divisions now declared “Zones A”. As per the decision, all Levies personnel, including provincial, ex-federal and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) wing members, have been inducted into the Balochistan Police.
The merged staff would retain their existing grades, pay scales, benefits and nomenclature. Their administration will now come under the Balochistan Police Act, 2011. The merger also involves the transfer of all infrastructure and resources from the former levy force to the police.
As part of a broader effort to strengthen policing, the Balochistan Police has launched a crash training program for former Levies personnel transferred from ‘Area B’ duties to regular ‘Area A’ duties. The initiative started on January 1, 2026 at the Police Training College (PTC), Quetta.
A total of 772 former Leves officers are enrolled in a three-month course covering physical fitness, weapons handling, marksmanship, counter-terrorism preparedness, investigative skills and legal training. Interns are also accommodated on site, with improved facilities.
PTC Commander Shahzad Akbar said the college has added a futsal court and resurfaced parade areas etc. to improve both well-being and training effectiveness. “When they officially join the police, they will be better prepared to protect communities, enforce the law and maintain the peace,” he said.
The program is part of a larger plan to strengthen crime prevention efforts, promote community-oriented policing and restore public trust in the police. Officials said these measures aim to embed professionalism, transparency, accountability and service-oriented practices throughout the force.
This final merger completes a process initiated in October 2025, when six of Balochistan’s eight administrative divisions – Quetta, Kalat, Makran, Zhob, Rakhshan and Nasirabad – were merged with the police. Sibi and Loralai had remained under Levies’ control until now.
Chief Minister Bugti said the move marks a historic resolution of legal ambiguities regarding territorial policing and reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring consistent security and law enforcement in all districts of Balochistan.
(WITH INPUT FROM THE APPLICATION)
