Qaseem Shah:
QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has directed the provincial government to resolve all legal and financial hurdles to finalize salary and allowance rules for elected local government representatives, chairmen, and vice-chairmen within six months.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Iqbal Ahmed Kasi and Justice Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta issued the directive while disposing of a constitutional petition filed by the Chairman of the Municipal Committee Mastung. The decision, authored by Justice Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta, emphasized that local governance serves as a fundamental pillar of democracy under Article 140-A of the Constitution, requiring adequate institutional and financial support from the state.
The petitioner had sought compensation and civil service status under Section 35 of the Balochistan Local Government Act 2010, citing unfulfilled promises made by the Chief Minister during a local government conference in February 2025.
In response, the provincial government and financial authorities noted that compensating local leaders involves an estimated annual expense of PKR 1.8 billion. They argued that payments cannot be released retroactively or without formalized rules, budget allocations, and cabinet approval. Furthermore, the court clarified that elected representatives hold public office and cannot be equated with civil servants or assigned official service grades.
Refusing automatic or retroactive back-pay, the high court held that compensation rights depend entirely on formal notification of the rules. However, acknowledging the vital public services local leaders provide—from sanitation to solid waste management—the bench directed the Local Government Department to coordinate with the Law and Finance departments to clear all objections.
The court ordered the government to draft the proposed Balochistan Local Councils (Compensation) Rules and present a financially viable proposal to the cabinet for final approval strictly within six months.
