By Obaid Abrar Khan
Putting their lives at risk and providing security to the people, security guards hired by the private security agencies are paid little as compared to their 12-hour tough duty.
The security agencies have started hiring new employees, as all private and public sector educational institutions are appointing security guards in their respective schools and colleges because of security threats. The security threats have given a chance of employment to many jobless youth as security guards.
The private security agencies taking full advantage of the situation are charging hefty amounts from the clients, but paying a very meagre salary to the security guards who always become victim of the bomb blast.
Most of them are retired army personnel or youth of the poor families. They hardly meet their expenses as they get Rs5,000 to Rs6,000 and perform duties for more than 12 hours with no weekly offs.
Most of the private security guards are still not insured whereas these private security agencies claim that they pay minimum Rs7,000 to their employees and all of them are insured.
A security guard of Safeguard Security and Management Pvt. Ltd. on the condition of anonymity told ‘The News’ that he is getting only Rs6,000 per month and don’t have any insurance policy. Whereas an official of Safeguard Security, Major (r) Amir Bashir told ‘The News’ that they are getting Rs8,000 for 8 hours from the clients and paying Rs7000 to security guards adding all of our employees are insured with a well-known insurance company.
Another private security guard told that he works for 12 hours daily while there is no weekly off. “I am getting an amount of Rs6,000 per month which is not enough to meet my expenses.” He said that private security companies and the concerned authorities should raise our salaries, as we always remain on frontline. He said many security guards have become victim of terror incidents.