Three Arrested Over Alleged Theft and Sale of Government Weapons in Balochistan

QUETTA (Qudrat Daily): The alleged large-scale theft of government weapons and their possible sale to banned militant organizations has come to light in Balochistan, with three people, including a former Levies official and a police officer, arrested in connection with the case.

According to sources, the matter surfaced several months ago but was not immediately made public. In May this year, weapons were recovered from a vehicle during routine checking by the Excise Department in Quetta’s Baleli area. The case was subsequently handed over to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) for further investigation.

The CTD later raided a house in Killi Nochasar, Quetta, where a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered and two suspects were arrested. One of those arrested was identified as Roshan Khan, who had previously served at a Levies armoury. Abdul Hakeem, who had been in charge of the Levies armoury, was later arrested and included in the investigation.

A case registered on May 18, 2026, on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Shaista Khan carries charges under various sections of the Explosives Act, Balochistan Arms Act and Anti-Terrorism Act.

According to the FIR, the CTD had received information that Roshan Khan, along with associates Muhammad Shafiq and Hanif Barich, was allegedly supplying weapons and ammunition to banned organizations for terrorist activities. During a raid on the house in Killi Nochasar, Roshan Khan and Muhammad Shafiq were arrested and two 9mm pistols were recovered, while Hanif Barich allegedly escaped.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of a large quantity of arms and ammunition from eight sacks and a wooden box. The recovered weapons reportedly included four submachine guns, six Chinese-made rifles, three light machine guns, five .303 rifles, one G3 rifle and two rifles of 12- and 22-bore calibres, along with more than 5,000 rounds and multiple magazines.

Sources said 16 rocket-propelled grenades, two launchers, 18 fuses and 10 hand grenades were also recovered. Two hand grenades and 18 fuses were deemed dangerous and destroyed at the site, while the remaining weapons were taken into custody for legal proceedings.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the investigation had allegedly revealed that government personnel used official vehicles to remove weapons from offices and sell them in Quetta, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Gulistan and areas near the Afghan border.

The officer said there were also reports that weapons were being sold through WhatsApp and that some weapons may have been supplied to members of banned organizations. According to the source, mobile numbers allegedly belonging to some weapons buyers have been switched off since the arrests, complicating the investigation.

Sources said Abdul Hakeem, a former Levies official and currently a police DSP, had also been dismissed from service. A police spokesperson said he was dismissed over prolonged absence, alleged misconduct and failure to respond to official show-cause notices.

Police sources said this was not the first reported case involving the disappearance of sensitive weapons, government equipment and machinery from the Directorate General Levies. Several such incidents were reportedly linked to the merger of the Levies Force into the police and the transfer of assets.

According to sources, the investigation has faced difficulties because former Levies officials allegedly failed to provide complete records of weapons and other equipment. Despite several months having passed, the CTD has reportedly not yet submitted a challan in the case to the court.

Police sources also said there were concerns about missing government weapons, confiscated material from various cases, riot-control equipment and bulletproof jackets, stressing that a comprehensive investigation was necessary.

Meanwhile, a former senior Balochistan Levies official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed some aspects of the claims. He said that when the alleged theft took place, the Levies Force had already been fully merged into the Balochistan Police under a February 3, 2026 notification issued by the Balochistan Home Department, with its assets and responsibilities transferred to the police.

According to the former official, both arrested personnel had previously served in the Levies but were formally employees of the Balochistan Police at the time of their arrests. Both suspects are currently in jail while the investigation continues.

The former official also said the former Levies Directorate building had been allocated to the Home Department following the merger and that the provincial interior minister’s office was subsequently established there. He therefore argued that it should not be described as the current active Levies office.

He further stated that a Finance Department document dated April 22, 2026, approved the transfer of 12 cadre posts of the former Levies Directorate to the Services and General Administration Department.

The former official stressed that responsibility for any financial or weapons-related irregularities should be determined on the basis of the institutional structure in place at the time of the alleged incident and the findings of the investigation, rather than simply on the basis of the suspects’ previous employment.

He said verification of claims concerning missing weapons or government equipment required a comparison of armoury records, weapons registers, asset inventories and official handover records. The role of the arrested personnel is also being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.