PHC directs federal govt to implement complete ‘Shaheed Package’

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the federal government to provide complete “Shaheed Package” to the legal heirs of the martyred paramilitary forces who were fighting against militants in the tribal areas.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Younas Thaheem fixed December 18 for resolving issue of complete “Shaheed Package.”
The bench asked the legal heirs of the martyred paramilitary forces along with Levies and Khassadars to take up their cases with the States and Frontier Regions (Safron) secretary at the Fata Secretariat.
The court passed the directions after Safron secretary appeared in the court. He assured that the federal government was going to provide complete “Shaheed Package” including allotment of plots, employment to their sons, free education and health facilities to families of the martyred paramilitary forces.
However, the bench directed the government to provide “Shaheed Package” according to 2015 policy to all the remaining legal heirs if government failed in providing the package to the families under the 2006 policy and they are still waiting for the compensation.
The bench was hearing a contempt of court petitions filed by legal heirs including widow of Gulzar and others. They have sought implementation of the complete package.
Counsel for the petitioners Imad Anjum Durrani submitted before the bench that though the government had paid the compensation amount to the legal heirs of the martyred, it did not implement complete “Shaheed Package” including allotment of plots, employment to their sons and provision of free health and education facilities.
Secretary Safron and assistant attorney general, representing the federal government, appeared in the case and submitted that they had paid the compensation amount under the policies announced in 2001, 2006 and 2015.
However, they submitted that no one applied for the other facilities, including allotment of plots, employment to their sons and provision of free health and education facilities.
To this, the chief justice told the secretary the court wanted complete implementation of the “Shaheed Package,” which the government had announced it for the legal heirs. Assistant Attorney General Tariq Mansoor informed the bench that as per 2001 policy Rs300,000 was allocated for martyred paramilitary forces but on the court’s orders it was enhanced to Rs3 million. The bench fixed January 16 for next hearing into the cases.