A khasadar soldier in Ekka Ghund. PHOTO: MUREEB MOHMAND/EXPRESS
“We have not been paid the salary of the last two months,” Abdul Qudus, a resident of Wana in South Waziristan Agency, told The Express Tribune. “We are performing our duties even without [getting] a salary. Even when we get it, it is either delayed or given with reductions in it.”
He added an allowance, besides salary, was announced for each khasadar after the Pakistan Peoples Party came into power in 2008. He added, as per the announcement each had to be paid Rs100,000, but they got only Rs20,000. “[We] don’t know where the remaining amount went.”
Nevertheless, the issue has remained unresolved. Therefore, a 14-member committee was formed by the khasadars of Wazir, Mehsud, Dottani and Suleman Khel tribes of South Waziristan. Even then the issue remained unresolved.
“We took up the matter to the political agent, even visited Peshawar and Islamabad to meet high-ups in the government, but our issue remains in its place,” a member of the committee, Anayatullah, said.
Inevitable but invisible
Till the Frontier Crimes Regulation prevails in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, there will be need of the khasadar force, Anayatullah added. “We were given shoes, uniforms [and such duty necessities last year only after the 9/11 attack]. He said khasadars’ is the most ignored force now.
However, the issues pertaining to khasadars is not limited to their salaries. As per the political administration of South Waziristan, the position of a khasadar person is taken by anyone from the family – inherited. However, the political administration has recently warned that one person be sent on the position – he should be a youth so as to be able to perform his duty properly.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2016.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ