ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi on Monday said the government would soon announce a special package for families of martyred policemen.

Addressing an event arranged to pay tributes to the police martyrs on Monday he said: “The martyrs of police are a pride of the whole nation and the government will soon announce a special package for the families of those personnel who laid down their lives in the line of their duty.”

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is determined to transform the capital police into a model force, he said, adding that the police officials will be given due respect and honour in the Naya Pakistan.

He said the government would provide all possible facilities to the martyrs’ families including financial assistance.

Minister says government is determined to transform the capital police into a model force

He said: “Allah Almighty had selected 41 police personnel of Islamabad for the great cause of sacrificing their lives to protect others’ lives,” the state minister said.

Mr Afridi also informed the audience that he also had the honour of having martyrs in his family.

“Martyrs have great respect in Islam,” he added.

The federal government will provide protection to all citizens of the country, Mr Afridi said, adding that “the nation is proud of all law-enforcement agencies for rendering great sacrifices to ensure peace in the country”.

The government is determined to providing all available resources to Islamabad police for their capacity building, he said, adding that work on police act had been started to introduce reforms in the capital police.

Under the reforms programme, lower rank police officials’ promotion to higher ranks will be ensured.

Intelligence and technical schools would also be set up for capacity building of the Islamabad police, the minister said, adding that problems faced by police, like accommodation and transportation, would be solved on priority basis.

Inspector General of Islamabad police Mohammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan paid tributes to martyrs of the Islamabad police and said their sacrifices for the country would be written in history in golden words.

The IGP said the family of a martyred constable of the Islamabad police was given a meagre amount of Rs3 million while in the Punjab the amount was Rs20 million, adding this disparity is unjustified.

He requested the ministry to name city roads after martyred policemen.

“Rendering one’s life for security of others is one of the biggest sacrifices,” he stated. Later, the minister distributed compensation cheques among heirs of the martyrs’ families.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018