Committed to the cause: Flat tyres fail to puncture hope

The Lahore BDS has only two safety suits, courtesy of the EU.

LAHORE:

If a tyre goes flat we don’t even have spares in our vans, a Bomb Disposal Squad official said. Only nine men make up the BDS which works under the District Civil Defence Office.

Gripes about salaries are commonplace among the staff.

The commander is paid Rs27,000 while the rest, mostly retired army personnel, are paid Rs17,000 a month.



“High risk jobs around the world are well compensated, while our salaries are not even high enough to meet both ends,” he complained, adding that sometimes they have to work round-the-clock for weeks due to staff shortages.

The BDS in Lahore has only two safety suits gifted by the European Union.

The official revealed that with a flat tyre, the squad is left with no option but to tow the vehicle.

Lahore BDS staffers are mostly retired military officials, experienced at defusing bombs. The squad is headed by a retired subedar.

Of the eight haweldars, one is permanently deputed at the airport, one at the DCO office, and two at the chief minister’s house.

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