Senate panel addresses issues faced by Levies

80 to 90% of the Levies' budget is spent on Police

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on less developed areas has summoned the additional chief secretary, home secretary and finance secretary of Balochistan in the next meeting to address the issues of salaries, incentives and budget increase of Levies personnel.

A meeting of the Senate functional committee on less developed areas was held at parliament lodges under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar.

It discussed the issues of salaries, service structure and rules of federal and provincial levies employees, pensions, employment of relatives in place of martyred personnel, the performance of levies in backward areas including newly merged areas, the appointment of employees in the ministry of SAFRON and incentives for Levies under the Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan package.

Chairman Kakar said that the services rendered by the Levies and Khasadar forces in former FATA and PATA, including the backward areas of Balochistan, for the protection of the people and to maintain peace in the region were commendable.

“Personnel of the forces was on duty 24 hours a day but it was unfortunate that the Federation could not understand their system. The system of these forces stems from the British era which is attached to the community system.”

Kakar maintained that even though Levies personnel serve in the majority areas, 10 per cent of these areas are under the control of the police. “However, it is unfortunate that 80 to 90 per cent of their budget is spent on the police while only 10 to 20 per cent is spent on levies and specialists.”

He added that 95 per cent of the areas with high crime rate are under police control. “The Federation must provide justice to the Levies force. Levies officials do not commit corruption or earn a living by engaging in wrongdoings. The people of the region also have a lot of confidence in levies. It is a well-organised system that is not possible even in Europe and developed countries.

The senate committee chairman lamented that these forces were not even paid a handsome salary. “Even weapons, vehicles and other related equipment are a few in numbers whereas problems with their promotion system and service structure have not been resolved as yet.”

The meeting was informed that the institution is facing problems of funds and improvement is not possible till effective funds are available. Just as other areas have been integrated into the province and a budget is released from the federation for the development of these areas, a similar approach should be taken to plan for the next 10 to 20 years for levies.

The chairman further said said that under Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan, 5,000 people were recruited as teachers and after some time their responsibility was shifted to their respective provinces. “In addition to ensuring the provision of effective training arrangements for the Levies, they should also be provided with relevant weapons, vehicles and other equipment.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2020.