Khassadars seek payment of withheld salaries

WANA: As many as 1400 personnel of the Khassadar force here on Sunday demanded the government to release their salaries withheld for the last seven months.

The members of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe made the demand at a jirga. All the nine sub-tribes of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe and the members of the Dotani and Sulimankhel also attended the jirga.

They said that the Khassadars had not received salaries for the last seven months and they had been facing financial problems. They said that they had been hand to mouth and could not make ends meet. They also announced to boycott the anti-polio drive starting from today. They have informed the district administration and the Health Department of their decision.

The jirga said that the government and the district authorities were using delaying tactics. “We are fed with the lame excuses,” a Khassadar said. He said that he had been unable to run his kitchen and pay the school fee of his children.