PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has approved a summary increasing the amount of ‘Shuhada Package’ for the martyred police officials.

Under the summary approved on Thursday night, the amount of compensation for martyred police constable, ASI and inspector has been increased from Rs4.4 million to Rs10 million each, from Rs11 million to Rs15 million for DSP and ASP, Rs15.4 million to Rs20 million for SP and SSP and Rs16.5 million to Rs20 million for DIG and officers above.

On Friday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police observed the Youm-i-Shuhada (martyrs’ day) to pay tribute to their officials for laying down life in the fight against terrorism in the province.

KP police mark Youm-i-Shuhada

The day was first marked on August 4, 2015. On the same day in 2010, Frontier Constabulary commandant Safwat Ghayur was martyred in a suicide attack against his vehicle.

AIG Ghayur is the senior most police officer in KP to fell prey to terrorism.

At the start of the day, a police contingent presented guard of honor at Mr Ghayur’s grave in University Town cemetery.

City police chief Mohammad Tahir Khan and SP (cantonment circle) Imran Malik, who were also present on the occasion, laid floral wreaths at the grave and offered prayers.

KP police chief Salahuddin Khan Mehsud and Commander Log area Peshawar Major General Saleem Raza laid wreaths at the martyrs’ monument in the Malik Saad Shaheed police lines and offered prayers for the fallen policemen.

City police deputy chief SSP Sajjad Khan attended a service at the grave of DPO Qilla Abdullah SSP Sajjad Khan Mohamad, who was martyred in a suicide attack earlier last month.

Major function of the day in the city took place at Nishtar Hall, where KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, police chief Salahuddin Khan Mehsud and senior officials were in attendance.

The police chief told participants that the martyred police officials were nation’s heroes, whose sacrifices had restored peace and tranquility in the province.

He said KP police were fighting terrorists as a frontline force and that their courage and bravery had no parallel in the history.

Mr Mehsud said the provincial police fought the war against terrorism to the best of their capabilities and won the hearts and minds of the people against heavy odds.

He said around 1,500 police officers and personnel from the ranks of constable to AIG, had laid down life during the last 12 years.

The police chief said on one hand, the police were fighting an unconventional war and on the other, their capacity was being built.

He said besides conventional training schools, specialised schools had been also established for the police, while the counter-terrorism department, intelligence unit, investigation, information technology and bomb disposal units had been set up to help effectively fight the war against terrorism.

“The war against terrorism is not over yet. However, the KP police have been put in the right direction,” he said.

The Youm-i-Shuhada was also observed in Swabi, Buner, Battagram, Charsadda, Shangla, Kohat, Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan areas with regional police officers and DPOs attending those functions at the respective divisional and district levels.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2017