TIMERGARA: The junior officers of the Dir Levies, including senior sepoys, have demanded doing away with the amendments made to the Frontiers Irregular Corps (FIC) rules, which blocked their promotions.

In a written appeal to judiciary, local administration and the ministry of states & frontier regions (Safron), they said the Levies Force had been functioning in five districts of Malakand division, but the personnel lacked proper service structure, perks and privileges like other forces of the country.

The junior officers of the Dir Levies complained that FIC rules were illegally amended in 2013 under which some blue-eyed officers were given benefits. They said under the previous rules personnel of the Levies would retire on reaching the age of 50 years. However, they said under the amended FIC rules the retired officers of the force moved the courts and they were restored. They said the senior officers would now serve till their superannuation period of 60 years like civil services, blocking the way of promotion to the junior officers who were working as naik, havaldar, naib subedar or subedar.

Presently, the total strength of Lower Dir Levies stands at 709 personnel with deputy commissioner as its commandant.

The Levies personnel said they performed duties at high risk posts and worked side by side with police, Frontier Corp and Frontier Constabulary in Lower and Upper Dir, Swat and Malakand Agency. They said officers of Levies Force except Subedar Major had no official vehicle or residence. The Levies employees said they were not entitled to get financial benefits like other forces though they were performing extra duties in elections, polio campaigns and VIP movements.

They said at present, a Levies sepoy drew Rs12,000 to Rs14,000 per month while subedar major, the high ranking officer next to the commandant, got Rs25,000 which was equal to the pay of a police constable.

They said they were also not entitled to medical facilities, ration, risk and travel allowances.

A Levies sepoy Mohammad Karim told Dawn that on retirement a sepoy was given a paltry pension of Rs1,800 per month which was a joke amid price hike. He said they were also deprived of all the basic allowances given to other paramilitary and civil armed forces.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2015

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