Rescue 1122 personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, released from Attock jail after being arrested for their participation in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) D-Chowk protest, received a warm welcome in Peshawar by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday.
The chief minister, who welcomed the 42 freed personnel by showering rose petals, also announced to promote them.
The personnel were released weeks after they were arrested for participating in the party's protest against the government in Islamabad in the first week of October by the federal and Punjab police.
They were freed alongside 86 others arrested during and after the protest.
Gandapur's announcement came after he invited the personnel at the CM house for a meeting following their release. The rescue personnel included firefighters, drivers, medical technicians and other staffers.
Commenting on the development in an interview with Geo News, Director General Rescue 1122 Muhammad Ayaz Khan said KP CM has announced a one-step promotion of the released rescue personnel as well as a one-month extra salary.
Ayaz said he is grateful to the chief minister for encouraging the rescue personnel, as he assured to increase their allowances and has also assured to increase their retirement age from 50 to 60 years.
The DG Rescue 1122 revealed that at least six personnel of the department are still imprisoned.
More than 10 KP police personnel and over 40 employees of Rescue 1122 were held by the Punjab police for accompanying a protest rally in the capital city led by Gandapur.
The crackdown came as the federal and Punjab governments took stern action against the workers of the Imran Khan-founded party who marched into Islamabad to hold a protest rally.
The federal capital has seen days of unrest owing to the PTI's protest with authorities resorting to firing tear gas and placing containers across the city to prevent the party workers' march.
Apart from the provincial government's personnel and officials being held, 22 vehicles of the Rescue 1122, Peshawar Development Authority and Local Government were also impounded.
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