Waiting for pay day: Levies force up in arms against non-payment of allowances

Says each personnel is owed Rs0.1m, accuses administration of embezzlement.

DI KHAN: South Waziristan Agency (SWA) Levies personnel protested outside the Tank political compound against the non-payment of annual allowances for the past several years.

Around 200 levies personnel from Mehsud, Wazir, Dottani and Suleman Khel tribes took part in the demonstration on Monday. They blocked the entrance of the compound and refused to let anyone pass by. The political agent and other officials of the administration were confined in the compound for several hours. The protesters were led by Subedar Musa Khan Suleman Khel, Subedar Saeedullah Burki, Subedar Jahangir Mehsud and other officials.

While addressing the protest, the levies soldiers said the unpaid allowances roughly amount to Rs0.1 million per person. Applications have been filed in the past but to no avail. They alleged that deductions are made from the pittance that they are paid and the money is embezzled by political administration officials.

Subedar Jahangir Mehsud alleged SWA Levies are not treated at par with personnel serving in other parts of the tribal belt. He said they are graded as Class-IV employees and are forced to perform manual labour.



“These levies are at the frontline of the war against terror and operate in areas like Dera Nasthar, Shahwal, Makeen and Wana,” said Nasreen, a levies woman.  “But despite our sacrifices, we are deprived of our basic labour rights, making it difficult to make ends meet.”

More promises

After about three hours, the protesters gave in to the assurances of SWA Political Agent Islam Zeb and Levies force representatives. The compound’s entrance was cleared and routine business resumed.

Zeb told the media a letter has been sent to the Auditor General for the release of funds and the matter will be pursued to its resolution. He rejected claims of corruption by political administration officials and said the money is forwarded to those entitled as and when it comes in.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2014.