Wardens remain without increased TA/DA

Traffic wardens have not received a single rupee in shape of the increased travelling and daily allowance (TA/DA) yet despite after a court order around five months ago, Pakistan Today has learnt. Dozens of traffic wardens, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today that the Punjab government, during budget 2010-11, announced an increase in the TA/DA and risk allowance for the Punjab Police.
In case of sub-inspectors, Punjab government ordered to increase the TA/DA from Rs 5,600 to 7,200 along with a good increase in the risk allowance. Traffic wardens said that although the Punjab government announced the increase, but it was never implemented by the Accountant General (AG) Office while issuing funds for their salaries. They claimed that according to AG Office officials, when the Punjab government increased the salaries of Punjab Police, it clearly directed the AG Office that the decision of increments would not apply on traffic wardens and patrolling policemen.
Wardens said that according to AG Office officials, these directions were issued by the Punjab government by claiming that traffic wardens and patrolling policemen were already given good pay scales and almost double salary, as compared to sub-inspectors. Traffic wardens said that they felt hurt and discussed the issue with each other but did nothing. Traffic wardens from Faisalabad filed a petition against the decision and the court decided in their favour and on court orders, the AG Office finally started disbursing the increased TA/DA and risk allowance of traffic wardens from Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Gujranwala but surprisingly the AG Office denied issuing funds for traffic wardens of Lahore.
Wardens said that, after waiting for a month or so, they also went to court and filed a petition in this regard around five months ago at their own expense. They claimed that the Lahore High Court (LHC) decided in favour of traffic wardens from Lahore and issued directions to the AG Office to start issuing increased TA/DA and risk allowance to wardens of the Lahore City Traffic Police. Wardens said that the AG Office, on directions of the LHC, started issuing Rs 550 more in their salaries, as the increased risk allowance but refused to issue the TA/DA claiming that they did not have funds.
Wardens said that they discussed the issue with top officials, including Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Captain (r) Mobin but no one helped them. They said that in tenure of DIG Tariq Masood Yasin, he had directed the accountant of traffic wardens to discuss the matter with the AG Office. Wardens claimed that on directions of the DIG, the accountant of the City Traffic Police discussed the issue with AG Office officials, who according to the accountant demanded Rs 0.7 million as bribe to implement the LHC order.
They said that according to their accountant, AG Office officials made it clear that they will never implement the orders until they got the demanded money. Wardens said that since then they are waiting for someone to solve their problem. To a question, wardens said that they filed a case in the LHC at their own expense, which they could not afford to do repeatedly.