Balochistan accounts for only 3.5 percent of senior federal government officers, while the province has just one federal secretary across 38 divisions, figures presented to a Senate committee show.

The Senate Standing Committee on Devolution highlighted the province’s limited representation in the federal bureaucracy and raised concerns over the implementation of its employment quota.

Balochistan’s quota in federal services was originally set at 4.5 percent in 1973. It was increased to 6 percent in 2020 by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, federal government employment figures show that the province has yet to reach that share in several categories.

A total of 31,235 employees with Balochistan domicile work in federal positions from grades 1 to 16, accounting for 5.2 percent of employees in these grades. This remains below the province’s allocated quota.

The gap is more pronounced in senior positions. Balochistan has 1,287 officers in grades 17 to 22, representing approximately 3.5 percent of the total.

The committee questioned the federal government’s implementation of constitutional provisions concerning provincial representation and the distribution of natural resource benefits.

Article 172(3) of the Constitution provides for joint and equal ownership of mineral oil and natural gas between the federal government and the provincial government of the province where the resources are located.

The committee has called for greater compliance with constitutional requirements, including provincial representation in federal services and the sharing of benefits from oil and gas resources.