Balochistan has only one federal secretary across 38 government divisions, while its share of senior federal officers stands at just 3.5 percent, according to figures presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution.
The province’s quota in federal services was set at 4.5 percent in 1973 and increased to 6 percent in 2020 by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, official figures show that Balochistan continues to fall short of that target in federal employment.
A total of 31,235 employees holding Balochistan domicile work in federal government positions from grades 1 to 16, accounting for 5.2 percent of employees in these grades, below the province’s 6 percent quota.
The gap is wider among senior officers. Balochistan has 1,287 officers in grades 17 to 22, representing approximately 3.5 percent of the total.
The Senate committee raised concerns over the federal government’s implementation of constitutional provisions governing provincial representation and ownership of natural resources.
Article 172(3) of the Constitution provides for joint and equal ownership of mineral oil and natural gas between the federal and provincial governments in the province where the resources are located.
The committee has also called for provincial quotas to be enforced in promotions to senior federal positions, arguing that the government must ensure provinces receive their due representation.
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