KHAR: The Bajaur Agency administration has decided to provide modern weapons, training and facilities to the personnel of levies force in the agency to enhance their professional capabilities.

This was stated by Bajaur Agency political agent Abdul Jabbar Shah during a function held here on Friday to mark the promotion of levies force personnel.

Tribal elders, members of peace committees and representatives officials of the administration and levies force were in attendance in large numbers.

The political agent said the administration had sped up efforts to increase professional capabilities of levies force.

He said a plan had been made to offer modern weapons, training and facilities to the levies force like those given to other security forces as the levies force was the backbone of the administration.

Shah said the administration was committed to improving the efficiency of levies force, which was playing a vital role in maintaining law and order in the agency.

He said he was hopeful that after the provision of modern weapons, and facilities and getting of basic professional training courses would more improve the capabilities of levies personnel who always performed their duties as the frontline force against militants in the agency.

The political agent praised the efforts of levies force in the war on terrorism and said the administration, the government and even the people had recognised the contribution and sacrifices of levies personnel for restoration of peace in the agency.“We are proud of the personnel of Bajaur levies force, who faced great difficulties in the line of duty but never surrendered to the enemies of the land,” he said.

Shah said the government had decided to introduce comprehensive package and increase ‘Shuhada Package’ of levies force in tribal areas.

He said following the introduction of comprehensive packages, the families of levies force personnel, who died in the line of duty, would be facilitated of different benefits like free education and free health facilities.

The political agent said at least 4,000 youths of the different areas of the agency would be recruited in the levies force from next week to increase the strength of the force.

He said the administration had allocated a special quota for the sons of dead levies force’s personnel in the new recruitment of the levies force.

During the ceremony, senior officials of the levies force informed the political agent about their problems and demanded the immediate corrective measures.

The political agent later gave badges and certificates of promotion to the promoted officials of the levies force.

A total of 40 personnel were promoted as lance naik, 30 hawaldar, 12 naib subedar and eight subedar.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2014