KP recruits wards of 211 martyred cops as ASIs

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pàkhtunkhwa government has recruited sons and close family members of 211 martyrs of the police force as assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs).

The family members of those martyred since 2017 will be recruited against these posts. Khyber Pàkhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sanaullah Abbasi handed the appointment letters to the newly recruited ASIs at the Central Police Office in Peshawar on Monday. The chief minister lauded the sacrifices of the KP Police during the last many years, saying this was because of the sacrifices of these cops and soldiers that peace had returned to the country. He said the KP police were the force of brave cops which have fought on the frontline against terrorists and sacrificed lives to protect the public.

The chief minister also chaired two video conferences about the law and order situation, the working of the City Patrol and the function of drone surveillance cameras. The IGP briefed the chief minister about security arrangements during the lockdown.

“The KP govt has approved 211 seats for the sons and close family members of the martyrs. Those fulfilling criteria in all the regions will be recruited during a week period,” AIG Establishment Zahidullah Jan told The News. The families of martyred policemen protested a number of times over delay in sanctioning of new posts for the scions of the martyrs of the force.

Under the Shaheed Package, the family of a martyred policeman is given a handsome cash amount, support for the education of children, full salary till age of 60 as well medical facility. Besides, son or brother fulfilling criteria for the post are recruited as ASI. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had announced in January that up to 300 new posts would be created in the Police Department exclusively for the families of the cops who had embraced martyrdom in the war against terrorism in the province. In response to a call attention notice at the KP Assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Sultan Mohammad Khan had lauded the provincial police force for the fight against terrorists at a time when militancy was at its peak in the province. He had added the sacrifices and martyrdom of the police the force could not be measured in term of rewards and special packages, but still the government had announced special incentives for the force.

The minister had said the close relatives, especially wards of the martyred cops, had been given priority in the recruitment in the past and now the government had planned to create about 300 more posts in the police department to adjust the unemployed children of the police ‘Shuhada’ (martyrs). An Awami National Party lawmaker had moved the call attention notice, reminding the government that at least 200 unemployed wards of the martyred police officials were deprived of recruitment in the police force.