Fact-check: Yes, Balochistan has issued notification allowing ISI to vet civil servants
Deputy secretary (regulation) at Services and General Administration Department confirms its authenticity
Updated Thursday Oct 10 2024
A notification circulating online claims that the chief minister of Balochistan has granted Pakistan's spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the authority to vet and screen civil service appointments.
The claim is true.
Claim
On October 7, a Facebook user shared a notification dated October 1, allegedly issued by the Services and General Administration Department of the Balochistan government.
The notification stated that the chief minister of Balochistan has authorised the ISI's directorate general as a Special Vetting Agency (SVA) for verifying and screening the following:
- Verification and security clearance for promotions to posts of BPS-19 and above.
- Screening for fresh appointments to BPS-17 posts.
- SVA approval before appointing administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners, and deputy commissioners in the province.
The ISI will also, upon receiving complaints or on its own initiative, request reports about an officer's conduct.
The notification was shared widely on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), leading to questions about its authenticity.
Fact
The notification is indeed genuine.
Geo Fact Check contacted Khuda-e-Nazar, the deputy secretary (regulation) at the Services and General Administration Department, whose signature appears on the document. He confirmed its authenticity, stating, “This was already done by the federal government during the [Pakistan Democratic Movement] government, but yes, the notification has been issued by us.”
In June 2022, soon after taking office, then-prime minister Shehbaz Sharif authorised the ISI to act as the Special Vetting Agency for verifying and screening public office holders for appointments, postings, and promotions at the federal level.
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Header image is a file photo showing several candidates give the CSS exam in an examination hall