Out on streets: Ex-servicemen demand extension in police jobs

Protesters claim 2,700 ex-servicemen are working in the Punjab Police.

LAHORE: Hundreds of former servicemen working in the Police Department held a protest demonstration in front of Lahore Press Club on Wednesday, demanding the renewal of their contracts.

The ex-service men first protested at the Police Lines at around 11am. They then marched to the press club. They chanted slogans for the acceptance of their demands.

“I have not received my salary this month. So why should I continue working? We do not expect them to renew our contracts,” said Akbar, who is working as a driver in the police force.



“We work as hard as the other policemen. So, why are they unwilling to renew our contracts?” asked Muhammad Zubair, who has been working as a gardener in the Police Department after his retirement from the army.

“We request the inspector general of police to renew our contracts and release the salaries,” another ex-serviceman, Anwar, said.

He said that they had been given contracts two years ago. “We were to be regularised in service. This did not happen and the department has not renewed our contracts,” he said.

Constable Fayyaz, another ex-service man, said he had performed duties during the Model Town stand-off and the August long march. “There are around 2,700 ex-servicemen working in the Punjab Police,” he said.

Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf rejected the claims that the contract workers had been promised regularisation.

“There are around 1,900 people who were given contracts by the Punjab Constabulary.

The contracts have expired. It is the prerogative of the contractor not to renew them.

The matter of renewals is currently under consideration,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2014.