The Balochistan government has granted Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the authority to vet and approve key civil service appointments, according to an official notification.
The notification designates the ISI’s Directorate General as a “Special Vetting Agency” (SVA), allowing the agency to oversee security clearance and verification for senior civil service posts. This includes promotions to positions in Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 19 and above, as well as new appointments to BPS-17 positions.
Additionally, the ISI will be responsible for screening candidates for key administrative roles in Balochistan, including administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners, and deputy commissioners.
Khuda-e-Nazar, the deputy secretary at the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), confirmed the authenticity of the notification to Pakistan’s GeoTV. “This was already done by the federal government during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, but yes, the notification has been issued by us,” he said.
Civil society members and activists have expressed concerns that the ISI’s expanded role in civil service oversight could further erode civil liberties and worsen the already fragile situation in Balochistan, where tensions between the state and local population remain high.