QUETTA: The Balochistan government has increased the compensation amount for martyred officials by up to more than three times, the finance department said in a notification on Tuesday after approval from the provincial cabinet.

The move came a day after nine officers of the Balochistan Constabulary were martyred and 13 others were injured after a suicide bomber riding an explosives-laden motorbike struck a police truck on the Sukkur-Quetta Highway in the Bolan district.

The government has raised the compensation amount by amending the Police and Levies Martyrs Compensation Policy.

According to the notification, the compensation of the martyred sepoy, head constable, assistant sub-inspector (ASI), sub-inspector and inspector (Grade 1 to 16) has been increased from Rs3 million to Rs10m, while the compensation of assistant and deputy superintendents of the police (Grade 17) has been increased from Rs5m to Rs15m.

Up to 200pc increase approved following Bolan attack

The compensation for police and Levies officers of grades 18 and 19 has been raised from Rs9m to Rs20m, whereas the compensation for martyred police officers of grades 20 to 22 has been increased from Rs10m to Rs20m.

The amount given to martyrs’ families in the form of residential plots has also been increased.

The government’s notification will be effective immediately.

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has directed officials to pay compensation to the families as per the revised policy. He has also announced an additional Rs10m to the families of the martyrs of the Bolan incident.

Monday’s blast happened when the personnel were on their way back to Quetta after performing duties at the annual ‘Sibi Mela’ when the truck was targeted in the Dhadar area.

The powerful blast, which destroyed the vehicle, killed nine officials on the spot and left the rest wounded.

According to an eyewitness, dolls and other toys bought by the martyred and injured policemen for their children from the Sibi festival littered the scene of the bombing.

The deceased include two brothers travelling in the police truck along with their father, who received injuries. Muhammad Hayat, ASI Gul Badeen, ASI Rawat Khan, Samiullah, Shahzed Ahmed, Ali Dolat, Nazir Muhammad, Abdul Qayyum, and Zohar Ali embraced martyrdom, while the injured included Ghulam Qadir, Attaullah, Abdul Haq, Rustam Ali, Muhammad Ilyas, Ghulam Muhammad, Ibrahim Khan, Muhammad Yaqoob, and Saleem Javed.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2023