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Members of the Senate's Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics control on Thursday expressed annoyance over delay in provision of arms and ammunition and other necessary equipment to 25 platoons of Frontier Constabulary (FC). They urged the government to immediately provide arms and ammunition to FC.
The meeting also expressed anger over a smaller amount of financial assistance under 'Shuhada packages' fixed by the government for FC personnel than Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan police. They said that the government should provide uniform amount to all security forces.
The meeting, presided over by Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood, was attended by Senators Gul Muhammad Lot, Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani and Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Secretary Interior Khawaja Muhammad Siddique Akbar, Joint Secretary Najeeb Ullah, Deputy Secretary Akhtar Jan Wazir, FC Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan Marwat and other senior officials of the Ministry of Interior and FC.
The FC Commandant informed the committee that out of 547 platoons, the government had not yet provided arms and ammunition to 25 platoons. The total strength of FC is 26,172, adding that the force comprised 1,446 non-combat force. He said that under the Shuhada packages, the death compensation allowance for FC personnel was Rs 1,000,000 while death compensation allowance for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police was Rs 3,000,000, Punjab Police Rs 3,000,000, Sindh Police Rs 2,000,000 and Balochistan Police was Rs 2,000,000.
Under the Shuhada package, the FC personnel were also deprived of free education to their children, pay, pension and allowances after death, appointment of their sons and next of kins, dowry expenses for daughters and allotment of plots, he said. They said that discriminatory treatment would discourage FC personnel and government should take immediate steps in this regard, adding that the force should be provided all necessary equipments. The Secretary Interior said that he would send a summary to the Ministry of Finance in this regard on October 19 to increase the post-death allowance of FC personnel.
Abdul Majeed Khan Marwat also told the committee that FC was facing a shortage of 15,463 small machine guns, 1,345 light machine guns, 1,052 heavy machine guns, 751 rocket launchers, 22,985 ballistic helmets, 22,985 bullet-proof jackets, 20 armoured personnel carriers, and 120 vehicle jammers. At present, he said, FC had 8058 SMGs, 887 LMGs, 42 HMGs, 333 rocket launchers, 536 ballistic helmets, 536 bullet-proof jackets, 7 APCs, and three vehicle jammers. He said that he had raised the issue, but no one had paid any attention. As many as 12 FC posts and pickets and six vehicles had been destroyed during various operations.
The government, he said, had so far released Rs 115 million out of Rs 2,870 million approved for the rehabilitation/reconstruction of posts in conflict-hit area, he said. The FC, the commanded said, was managing security of 17 districts and 103 posts. Chairman of the panel also exchanged views with Senator Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hasni when the latter asked the secretary interior to exempt parliamentarians from Section 144 during the meeting. Talha Mehmood said that parliamentarians were public representatives and they needed to strictly obey the law.
FC platoons: Senate body irked by delay in provision of modern weapons | Business Recorder
The meeting also expressed anger over a smaller amount of financial assistance under 'Shuhada packages' fixed by the government for FC personnel than Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan police. They said that the government should provide uniform amount to all security forces.
The meeting, presided over by Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood, was attended by Senators Gul Muhammad Lot, Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani and Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Secretary Interior Khawaja Muhammad Siddique Akbar, Joint Secretary Najeeb Ullah, Deputy Secretary Akhtar Jan Wazir, FC Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan Marwat and other senior officials of the Ministry of Interior and FC.
The FC Commandant informed the committee that out of 547 platoons, the government had not yet provided arms and ammunition to 25 platoons. The total strength of FC is 26,172, adding that the force comprised 1,446 non-combat force. He said that under the Shuhada packages, the death compensation allowance for FC personnel was Rs 1,000,000 while death compensation allowance for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police was Rs 3,000,000, Punjab Police Rs 3,000,000, Sindh Police Rs 2,000,000 and Balochistan Police was Rs 2,000,000.
Under the Shuhada package, the FC personnel were also deprived of free education to their children, pay, pension and allowances after death, appointment of their sons and next of kins, dowry expenses for daughters and allotment of plots, he said. They said that discriminatory treatment would discourage FC personnel and government should take immediate steps in this regard, adding that the force should be provided all necessary equipments. The Secretary Interior said that he would send a summary to the Ministry of Finance in this regard on October 19 to increase the post-death allowance of FC personnel.
Abdul Majeed Khan Marwat also told the committee that FC was facing a shortage of 15,463 small machine guns, 1,345 light machine guns, 1,052 heavy machine guns, 751 rocket launchers, 22,985 ballistic helmets, 22,985 bullet-proof jackets, 20 armoured personnel carriers, and 120 vehicle jammers. At present, he said, FC had 8058 SMGs, 887 LMGs, 42 HMGs, 333 rocket launchers, 536 ballistic helmets, 536 bullet-proof jackets, 7 APCs, and three vehicle jammers. He said that he had raised the issue, but no one had paid any attention. As many as 12 FC posts and pickets and six vehicles had been destroyed during various operations.
The government, he said, had so far released Rs 115 million out of Rs 2,870 million approved for the rehabilitation/reconstruction of posts in conflict-hit area, he said. The FC, the commanded said, was managing security of 17 districts and 103 posts. Chairman of the panel also exchanged views with Senator Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hasni when the latter asked the secretary interior to exempt parliamentarians from Section 144 during the meeting. Talha Mehmood said that parliamentarians were public representatives and they needed to strictly obey the law.
FC platoons: Senate body irked by delay in provision of modern weapons | Business Recorder
