QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court on Monday suspended a provincial government’s notification giving justice of peace powers to divisional and district administration officials.
A two-member BHC bench comprising Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Mulakhail and Justice Gul Hassan Tareen ordered the suspension of the provincial government notification during the hearing of a petition filed by senior advocate Rahib Khan Buledi, chairman of executive committee of the Balochistan Bar Council, challenging the provincial government move.
Advocates Iftikhar Ahmed Langove and Abdul Baseer Kakar also filed similar petitions in the high court.
In their petitions, the petitioners challenged the notification issued by the Balochistan government on December 30, 2025, under Section 22 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The notification appointed all divisional commissioners, additional commissioners, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners, and assistant commissioners as Justices of Peace within their jurisdiction.
The notification also authorised them to perform functions under Sections 22-A and 22-B of the CrPC.
Counsel for the petitioners pleaded that the notification was issued unilaterally, without consultation or approval from the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court, in violation of Articles 175(3), 202, and 203 of the Constitution.
They pointed out that under existing law, sessions judges and designated additional sessions judges already serve as ex-officio Justices of Peace, and that granting such judicial powers to executive officers undermines the constitutional principle of separation of powers and threatens the independence of the judiciary.
They further contended that although Section 22 of the CrPC allows the government to appoint Justices of Peace in rural areas, such appointments must follow proper rules defining their powers and limitations. They argued that the impuÂgned notification has effectively created a parallel judicial system by vesting judicial authority in executive officials.
The BHC bench admitted petitions for hearing and issued notices to respondents, and ordered that the notification would stay suspended until the next hearing of the case.
It also directed that copies of the court order be sent to respondents and the office of the advocate general for information and compliance. The matter is expected to be taken up again after the winter vacation.
Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2026
Dawn – Homenone@none.com (The Newspaper’s Staff Correspondent)Read More
