Demanding remuneration: Around 150 khasadar officials protest nonpayment of salaries

Say they are being unjustly blamed for not being able to thwart militant attack.

MIRANSHAH:

Around 150 khasadar officials on Tuesday protested over nonpayment of salaries and a fine of Rs0.7 million imposed on them by the political administration of North Waziristan Agency.

Khasadar officials gathered in front of Miranshah Press Club and chanted slogans against the political administration for withholding their salaries following a militant attack on Amin check post outside Miranshah Bazaar.

Leading the demonstration, senior khasadar official Farmanullah told journalists all personnel from Company No 9 belong to Darpa Khel Wazir tribe. He added they have not received remuneration since the check post attack over two months ago.

Farmanullah claimed political administration officials who issue their salaries blamed khasadar personnel for negligence and said the government would deduct Rs0.7 million from their salaries. He said the political administration did not issue any receipt of the fine to the tribe.

Khasadar official Hawaldar Muhammad Younas said the political administration is unjustly blaming them for not being able to thwart the attack. He said officials are deployed in Miranshah Bazaar and are not even allowed to move towards the check post which is on the outskirts of the bazaar. “How can we thwart an attack on security forces’ check post which is not in our jurisdiction?” he questioned.

Another senior official, Naik Muhammad Yaqoob, warned if the political administration did not release their salaries and revoke the fine, they would approach the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Tribunal. He added they would also protest against the political administration in front of the Governor House and urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice.

Meanwhile, an official of the political administration told reporters the fine was imposed under the Frontier Crimes Regulation. He added khasadar officials were deployed in the bazaar to thwart militant attacks and support security forces, which they had failed to do. He said the salaries would be released soon, but did not specify a date.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2013.