Extra income: More than 2,000 policemen still waiting for high-risk allowance

Despite being given the green light, the allowance hasn't been handed over to the police.

KARACHI: The 2,286 police officers working at 16 of the most sensitive police stations in the city have yet to receive the promised high-risk allowance.

This allowance now also includes officers and commandos of the Special Security Unit (SSU), which works primarily on the federal level. Earlier this year, it was decided that police officers deployed at SITE A Area police station, Pak Colony police station, Orangi Town police station, Pirabad, police station, Pakistan Bazaar police station, Mominabad police station, Quaidabad police station and 10 other stations would receive an extra income as they work in high-risk zones. This means that the allowance would be reflected in the salaries of one SSP, two SPs, eight DSPs, 25 police inspectors, 50 sub-inspectors, 100 ASIs, 300 head constables and 1,514 constables.

However, despite being given the green light by the relevant departments, the allowance hasn't been handed over to the police.

According to Karachi police spokesperson, inspector Atiq Ahmed, the allowance has been approved by the police department and the government but has been delayed due to the upcoming budget. He added that the men would get their allowance soon and would be paid the backlog as well.

The breakdown

The allowance would increase an SSP's salary by Rs90,000 while an SP will get an additional Rs70,000. Similarly, a DSP ranked officer will get Rs50,000 as allowance while a police inspector will receive Rs30,000, a sub-inspector will get Rs20,000, an ASI should receive Rs15,000, head constables to get Rs12,000 and constables will receive Rs10,000.

A VVIP movement

The SSU's Sindh Specialised Police Commandos Unit which deals with protecting VVIPs, including the president and prime minister was set up — under the AIGP Secuirty, Sindh. These days it is being taken care of by Lt (retd) Maqsood Ahmed and its headquarters are located at the Police Headquarters in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

So far, at least 13 police commandos have been killed and over 50 injured in a bomb blast on a police van near their training centre outside the city in February this year. The blast took place when a vehicle full of SSU commandos left the Razzakabad Police Training Centre and turned towards the National Highway. The commandos were on their way to report for duty and relieve their colleagues from their nightshifts at the residences of former presidents and the State Guest House. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2014.