LAHORE: Chief Minister Parvez Elahi has announced four times increase in the pensions of police martyrs’ families and said their children will be provided with an opportunity to study free-of-cost in elite institutions.

He said risk allowance would be given to police from constables to the IGP and added that a separate package be devised for the ladies’ police. He also called a follow-up meeting next week for implementing his announcements.

Elahi made these announcements after he visited the Police Lines and met the families of police martyrs and expressed solidarity with them on the Police Martyrs Day on Thursday. He paid rich tributes to police martyrs who penned a new history of selfless bravery by sacrificing their lives to protect the people.

The chief minister said the burden on the families of the martyrs during the Eid festivities could not be estimated; therefore, they would be given a special cash package. “I feel the pain of these families and will not allow the reduction of resources for the police,” he said and added that the police should also strive to improve the institutional prestige of their institution.

The chief minister said he had visited the police lines some 18 years ago and this was his second visit.

“The announcements made by me for the police welfare, at that time, were not implemented by Shehbaz Sharif,” he regretted and maintained that only the heirs of police martyrs could imagine the agony they went through.

He lamented that Shehbaz Sharif was interested in showing off things for momentary gains.

Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Faisal Shahkar said those, who sacrificed their lives for maintaining peace and protecting the lives and property of the citizens, were real heroes of the Punjab police and would never be forgotten. Shahkar said the Punjab police marked Aug 4 every year as Police Shuhada Day to renew the pledge of delivering.

He said more than 1,500 brave martyrs of the Punjab police had sacrificed their lives for maintaining law and order and fighting against criminal elements.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2022