Despite performing their duties in the most challenging environment and rendering matchless sacrifices in the war against terrorism, the Frontier Constabulary (FC), levies and Khasadar are among the lowest-paid security personnel in the country.
Per details, the FC, levies and Khasadar force have neither been properly equipped nor paid at par with other security forces.
MNA and parliamentary leader of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Al-Hajj Shah Jee Gul Afridi has written a letter to the Ministry of Interior seeking increase in the salary of levies, frontier constabulary and Khasadar force.
He requested in the letter that the salary of levies, frontier constabulary and Khasadar force should be brought at par with the federal police, rangers and army.
“As we all know that levies, FC and Khasadar force have made a lot of sacrifices in the recent war against terror. But on the other hand, their salaries are very low as compared to police, rangers and army,” the MNA said.
“Levies, FC and Khasadar force is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. It is, therefore, requested that their salaries are made equal to those of the federal police, rangers and army in the best public interest,” Gul Afridi maintained.
Sources said that levies personnel are being paid around Rs 17,000 to Rs 18,000 salary, while the salary of Khasadar personnel is Rs 17,400.
The FC was initially entrusted with the task of policing the frontiers that separated the settled districts of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas against tribal incursions, criminal gangs and marauders operating across this buffer zone. However, due to the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, FC has been entrusted with many other tasks in addition to its main function.
These duties include supporting law enforcement agencies in controlling law and order situation and providing security to diplomats, vital government installations, VIPs, multi-national companies and hydro-power projects (HPPs).
The FC has suffered heavy losses in the prevailing war on terror. Over 300 FC personnel have embraced martyrdom and a similar numbers have been injured.
