Balochistan High Court suspends DCs' magistrate powers

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Wednesday suspended the provincial cabinet’s recent decision to grant First-Class Magistrate powers to Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs), and Assistant Commissioners (ACs).

The ruling was issued by a two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Sardar Ahmad Haleemi, during the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by Iftikhar Ahmed Lango.

The petitioner argued that conferring judicial powers on executive officers violates the Constitution and law.

The court observed that the provincial cabinet does not have the authority to confer magistrate powers and that the move was unconstitutional from the outset.

The BHC issued notices to the provincial government and other respondents, including the Advocate General of Balochistan, seeking their responses.

The court also issued a stay order, halting the implementation of the cabinet’s decision dated September 24, 2025, until further proceedings.

Earlier, the provincial cabinet had approved the delegation of magistrate powers under Section 14-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, to DCs, ADCs, and ACs across the province.

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These officers were empowered to adjudicate on matters involving provincial and federal laws, including offenses related to forests, mines, and minerals, among others.