Jammu & Kashmir

AJK top cop turns down govt offer for additional perks

Opposition parties hail move, call for investigation into perks given to former finance secretary

Our Correspondent April 23, 2017

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Bashir Ahmad Memon. PHOTO: ONLINE

MUZAFFARABAD: In a surprising turn of events, the top cop in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has refused to accept additional perks and privileges offered by the regional valley.

According to official sources, the AJK cabinet had recently approved a move to increase salaries of the region’s prime minister and other cabinet members by over 200 per cent. The move was widely condemned by the opposition and civil society members.

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In line with the move, the Services and General Administration (S&GAD) - on special instructions of PML-N government - offered special perks and privileges to the then Chief Secretary now Petroleum Secretary Jalal Sikandar Raja and AJK Inspector General of Police Bashir Memon.

While the former accepted the offer, IGP Memon turned down the offer of a driver, cook, payment of telephone bill, 800 units of electricity, 200 litres of petrol, gas and a vehicle of 4,200CC.

Sources said that IGP Memon had conveyed to the government that he was a committed officer and that his department at the national level would take care of him providing him with the same perks which the AJK government was offering by using taxpayers’ money.

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“My force is my priority and if this notification and perks go to my cops then I would accept it wholeheartedly,” sources quoted IGP Memon as saying.

The sources added IGP Memon had been asking his force to remain honest and loyal. By accepting the government’s offer, the top cop did not want to increase monthly burden by Rs7 million for AJK police.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary leader in AJK assembly Abdul Majid Khan hailed the IGP’s decision to turn down extra privileges and perks. “IGP Memon has proved himself to be a professional police officer and has set an example for the new officers in the police force,” Khan added.

On the other hand, he called for an investigation into the perks offered to Raja.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2017.