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       QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has cancelled the provincial government’s decision to merge the Levies force with police in three districts.

       Last month, 70 per cent of the Levies force, one of the law enforcement agencies in Balochistan, was given under the command of police in Quetta, Lasbela and Gwadar districts.

       The official notification of the merger was challenged by six Levies personnel, including an officer, through Advocate Khalil Ahmed Panizai.

       After the initial hearing on Tuesday, Justice Abdullah Baloch suspended the notification and granted a stay order till the next hearing.

       Levies, a colonial-era paramilitary force, is deployed majorly in rural areas of Balocshitan to maintain law and order.

       Under the law, Levies operate in parts of Balochistan declared “B-Area” by the government. In these areas, the Levies, under the command of division and district officials, act as a law enforcement agency.

       In the “A-Area”, Balochistan Police acts as a law enforcement agency.

       In January, a total of 1,116 Levies personnel were integrated into the police force.

       The merged personnel belonged to various ranks, including weapons inspectors, clerks, risaldars, naib risaldars, dafadars, khassadars, jamadars, havildars, soldiers, wireless operators and footmen. The opposition parties of Balochistan and even some members of the government strongly opposed the decision to merge Levies into police.

       Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2025