Families of martyred policemen face hurdles in availing welfare package

ISLAMABAD: Unlike the martyrs of armed forces, the families of police martyrs have to endure immense social turmoil as well as economic crisis as they have to wait for months to get even first basic salary after martyrdom. As a result of the bureaucratic hurdles and lack of proper mechanism to provide financial support to the families of martyred police personnel the overall morale of the police force is at all-time low.
The prime minister has shown dissatisfaction over the slow pace of implementation of National Action Plan (NAP). However, the authorities concerned have always ignored the stark difference between the compensation and monthly packages paid to the families of police martyrs and the martyrs of armed forces.
According to the official data of Sindh Police at least 740 police personnel have been martyred in the line of duty in the last four years in the province and majority of them have been killed in Karachi.
The provincial police department has announced a welfare package for the families of police martyrs according to which the martyr’s family would be given Rs2 million compensation whereas two jobs would be given to the heirs of the martyrs. Similarly as per the package the family would be given monthly salary until the age of 60 years of Shaheed whereas after 60 years the family would be awarded full pension. Similarly as per the welfare package for police martyrs, one plot in Bahria Town would be awarded to the legal heirs of the martyrs. However the reality is quite different as the families of the martyred suffer a lot in order to get this package approved by the authorities concerned.
Similarly the official data of KPK Police shows that at least 1171 police personnel have been killed in the province so far, 306 killed in Peshawar alone. 835 of these martyrs were police constable. The KPK government has announced welfare package for the families of police martyrs according to which Rs3 million compensation would be awarded to the families of martyred constables, head constables, ASIs, SIs and Inspector/BPS 5-16.
Similarly as per this package Rs5 million would be given to the families of martyred ASPs, DSPs/BPSs 17 and for civil servant in BPS 17 whereas Rs9 million have been announced for the families of SP, SSP and AIG/BPS 18-19. As per this package Rs10 million have been announced for the families of DIG, AIGP and IGP /BPS 20-22. The provincial government has announced several other benefits for the families of martyrs including monetary aid, scholarships for the kids, plots and family pension.
However like in the other provinces the process of claiming all these benefits is quite difficult - the family has to present brief fact of the case, recommendations of the committee, copy of FIR, postmortem report, death certificate and recommendations letter of RPO/Head for the police office/unit.
Similarly according to the official data of Balochistan Police at least 612 police personnel have been killed out whom 355 have been killed in Quetta only. The province of Balochistan too has funds for the families of martyred police personnel however no data is available about allocated amount. Although there is no official data available for the Punjab province, the situation is the same as in other provinces when it comes to the compensation paid to the families of police martyrs. In order to get the package the family has to wait for at least six to eight months, as there is a lengthy and faulty procedure for the release of funds and salaries. First of all the family has to get a copy of criminal charge sheet from the police station under whose jurisdiction the person was killed. Besides, the family has to obtain death certificate from the local district or union council and then apply for the heir certificate from the local district commissioner office.
The family has to submit all these required documents to the local police station where the charge sheet was registered. After this stage the documents will start moving from one authority to other for approval, which takes months. Before the final package is approved, it is necessary that Assistant Inspector General (Welfare) who authorises disbursement of money approve the case. However the police officials claim that all this process is evolved in order to confirm whether the personnel is killed in the line of duty.
On the other hand, there is a totally different process for the martyrs of armed forces. The system is so convenient and smooth that the widow or her children do not have to go to any office and stand in queues to get pension and other benefits. Besides the laid down packages and pension, there are funds at battalion level, regimental level, brigade level, division level and then corps level to take care of the family of martyrs. Moreover, ration for at least two to three months is delivered to the family of a soldier and all expenses of his funeral are paid by the unit.