Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Speaking at the ceremony of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) Soldier Housing Insurance scheme on Tuesday, he added that the flats have been constructed in the form of a colony.
"The purpose of this scheme is to provide the families with a place to call home," he said. Each family will receive one flat.
The scheme was exclusive to the army in its initial stages. However, on October 1, 2013, this benefit was extended to members of battalions who die fighting in Azad Kashmir.
Kayani said that the families are free to do what they want with the flats. "You can live in them, or put them on rent," he said.
The only condition is that the flats can only be sold with the permission of the soldiers' children, he added, once they are old enough to make the decision.
Everyone who dies in service will be included in the scheme, Kayani stated, regardless of the length of their service.
During the ceremony, family members of late soldiers were invited on to stage to receive keys to their new homes from the army chief.
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Your elected THAIKADARS never dare to go to FATA - Balochistan - Interior Sind-GB- Chitral- Azad Kashmir . Its is Pak Army which is holding-binding-nourishing the state of Pak Sar Zameen People from these areas are well conversant with the positive role of Pak Army, It works day and night when this sham democracy is only visible in cities on GT road and dirty little rooms with one eyed blasphemous judges and Beurocracy, A soldier who serves and bears pain torture for the sake of this Flag deserves our respect. You libidos should acknowledge it
Pakistan Military Stands out because of its professionalism and courage. We all are kiyanis and we all are Raheels While westernised & radicalised libidos try their utmost to defame Pak Army we stand out and Proud giving our best efforts and sacrifices to this motherland PAKISTAN We would continue to do so because its existence is because of us no one else is worthy enough to safeguard it so far
When you burger, Pizza eating types sit in your comfy little Beds and comment on what a soldier deserves and what not ? Soldiers are brothers in arm, they know how to take care of their fallen brethren while we lay down our lives to keep you safe from Taliban (which Imran khan and religious clergy supports) you can continue with cribbing and wasting time
@SK: In this particular case you are correct. But in majority of cases, Nida's point is very valid. I would prefer to see a more equitable social welfare system in the country so all needy can benefit. In this case, the army personnel or their heirs have benefitted. What about the thousands of civilian Pakistanis who have also been martyred ? What do their heirs get apart from some lip service from the government ?
It is defenitely a very nice step but I do not know why the parents of martyred are ignored when soldier is married. When old parents are dependent on their chlidren, in that case if an earning son sacrifices his life for the homeland then his parents needs should also be addressed besides his own family. I know a mother near my village who's young son sacrificed his life for the homeland, his immediate family is well taken care off but his old mother who was dependant on him is not.
@H: i agree with you the country has gone to the dogs, sorry army.
I support this, especially that it applies for our frontline soldiers in KP and FATA. We should honor their sacrifice. I suggest this gesture also be given to drone victims as well.
Lives wasted over wasted causes.
People who die protecting their homeland and honor will always remain heroes. Nothing can compensate for their ultimate sacrifice. This shows as a token of love for these brave soldiers’ families. They gave their lives so others can live in peace. This is the least a nation can do for its heroes.
Abdul Quddus DET- United States Central Command
@Nida Alvi: SHAME ON YOU Those brave men protected this country what did you do except for sitting behind a laptop and leave disgraceful comments
GREAT STEP Haters gonna hate, everything is wrong to some people.
how was my earlier comment against ET rules????? FOR HEAVEN"S SAKE YOU WASTE YOUR READER'S TIME BY NOT PUBLISHING PERFECTLY WELL WITHIN RULES COMMENTS. Moderators you need to do job better. Seriously this is irritating.
PTI/JI/IK are planning sit-ins to stop plots being given to dead soldiers(not shaheed per them),and transferring those to children of dead TTP warriors(the Martyrs of PTI/JI/IK).This way TTP can have a ready-made base in Lahore .
Will you please stop polluting Pakistan with Cantts and Dhas..thank u!
s, Drones, Military Rules, Raymond Davis, OBL, Drugs, Weapon Culture, & Losing every war it had faught. The military rulers literally made the army mercenaries. Its like any country which can pay a few millions can hire the army. All the General`s do is run Real Estate Business, Marriage Halls, popcorn business.. But i agree that assistance needs to be provided to the soldiers who have laid down their lives.@Akhtar:
well said
Actual policy makers on boeard,rulers dont have dare to oppose the COAS statement. Even political parties would not,after all they seek Army's support in their bad days.
God bless you General. Federal Government should also provide houses or flats to families of all martyred police officials, rangers, FC and civilians. Government should not forget that people and forces of KP sacrificed the most.
Promotions not a big problem, getting salaries much more than other govrrnment services, special discount in children fees in reputable schools, post retirement job prospects much better than many other government employees, everyone will get a confirm plot/house etc, and if retired in some senior post which most of them reach phir to bhai balle he balle. Jeevay jeevay pak. Army. Yeh watan tumhara hai.
Free Flats for Tax Return Filers, after all the We are Ghazis too. Its our Tax Money, you know that.!!!!!!!!!!!
Now army becomes as realestate brokers.They eat all our public money and economy just get draining and people live in absolute poverty and our generals living in luxury.
Give Army shaheeds plots and leave the whole of FATA and PATA for shaheeds of TTP.
'Families of late soldiers to receive flats in Lahore, says Kayani' +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Why Kayani and why not the PM?
@Adnan Siddiqi: No, not at all, no one is giving @Nidda Alvi nothing, she is asking for it. Read the few words she managed to put down to display the selfishness of some ungrateful folks among us. There might be different modalities to provide assistance to the families of our martyrs, our brother, sons and daughters in uniform who gave themselves to secure us. All such thankless Naddas of the land must realize where they could end if these brave children of Pakistan were not there to sacrifice all any human can give, their lives. Salams to all soldiers and million salams to their families for beinmg there, for without them and their sacrifices neither this Nidda would be there nor any of her kind to hurl insults. Shame !
Plots for the dead soldiers' families and bungalows for the living officials :)
hi good job
So who gave the Pakistan army the authority to do this? Just one more reason that Pakistan has no money and has to borrow from IMF, ADB etc.
Excellent scheme.......... a small step to bridge the disparity between the lower ranks and the very senior ranks.
Jamat Islami should reciprocate by giving plots to widows of Hakeemullah Shaheed in Mansoora!
@SK & @Uza Syed:
Come on guys, I don't see any reason for y'all to give a third degree to @ Nadia Alvi on a very pertinent observation. The monkey business of real estate and plots have been a source of embrrassment for the Army for a very longtime. Such plots are given away for free to the personnel of the armed forces who in turn sell them off at prevailing market rates.
What the army can really do is to provide jobs to the survivors of martyred soldiers in the armed forces own corporate set-up. After all, our army is in the business of banking, airline, cement, fertilizer, petroleum and churning out breakfast cereals and can easily absorb such manpower.
I strongly oppose this policy. One can predict the future of Pakistan, it will be beyond 'Garrison State'. Who will go to the supereme Court to challange this decision?
@Nida Alvi: It would be more appropriate if rather than passing sarcastic comment, you would have commended Army’s effort in providing welfare to families of Shaheed soldiers who have sacrificed their present for our future. But I believe it should only be realized when his or her dear one is sacrificed for the country.
Why not houses for civilians who died at the hands of terrorists?
Does ET has better picture of the Army chief than this, because in this picture the light shade shows he is being punched in left eye and he has blue circle afterwards..
Great step, only those can appreciate who know the value of life soldiers sacrifice for their country while paid few thousand rupees. We all sleep calmly and they protect us. Real sons of the land.
A good gesture by Pakistan Army to support the families of Shaheeds ...
Why not build a new city for this noble purpose away from Lahore which is already overly congested.
@Nida Alvi: Shame on you for raising such a stupid question. This least that can be done for the families of those great soldiers who died and gave their lives protecting us all, even the stupid and heartless & the thankless.
I hope all the deserving families get their share. This is the least that can be done for those who lost their lives for country.
Nice to know that army's 'shaheeds' are given flats in DHA lahore whereas real shaheeds, victims of drone strikes, are homeless. Job well done.
What about the civilians who die? Why is the army more important than a civilian, shouldnt it be the opposite. Why does it occupy prime land in every city? The biggest real estate agents in the country.
Army fighting against our own people and then all these privileges. Why police is not privileged this way. They too are sacrificing their lives for this nation.
I welcome recognition of martyrs and support it. Pakistan zindabad
This is indeed an appreciable initiative for the ones who lose their lives saving ours. I would like to ask who would think of common innocent citizens who lose their lives just like that in various internal/external attacks. Who would think of their families?
@sarmad hassan
I totally agree with you on almost all points you raised here. But you just can't blame army chief when your own PM refuses to spend time in Pakistan. He is rarely seen in karachi and he never ever went to KPK since he took office.
Good step. The security forces deserve it. Those who get killed while trying to secure our lives need to be treated with utmost respect and their next of kin should have roof over their head. I wish police and paramilitary forces also start such scheme.
Good step, it will inspire all soldiers to show full dedication towards their duty without worrying about their families.
Okay, I am all up for veteran and martyr support programs and much more expanded programs than just mere flats but this is just plain absurd. We have enough of cantonments, army cants, askari cements and fouji fertilizers. Also I wouldve liked defence minister to announce something like that, not army chief. Its not his job ! Your job is to protect the borders from any foreign person, chechans and uzbeks and afghans and Raymond Davises and drones. Its not your job to announce housing colonies for soldiers. Its governments job ! (the so called shers who are always on a foreign tour), they proposal is supposed to come from defence ministry, finance department has to approve it and the information ministry to announce it via defence ministry. Even a laymen like me know how its supposed to be done.
@ Nida, have you any problem with that. It is pure gift for the persons who gifted thier lives to the nation. Have you ever thought of sacrificing your life for this motherland. Just think !!!
It's a Good move and will send a good gesture to security forces. And I want the Govt to announce same scheme for Police officers & para military forces who died during on going insurgency. KP Police has sacrificed a lot of brave officers
Why does the Army always indulge in plotting and real estate?