LAHORE: The Punjab government is enhancing the amount of the Police Shuhada Fund (pecuniary assistance for those who die in the line of duty), and is actively considering to also give it to the civilian officials and the judiciary who have no such facility.
The government had a few months ago enhanced the fund amounts for various categories of police officers and officials but they could not be notified due to a technical fault.
The government has also decided in principle to double the pecuniary grant for the heirs of an in-service official who dies a natural death, besides giving them their salary till the age of superannuation with annual increments up to the ceiling of the grade in which they were serving at the time of death. At present they get a relief amount and pension.
Official sources informed on Wednesday that a high-level meeting held on Wednesday discussed how to enhance the amount for the police officials who die while fighting criminals or become target of terrorism, under instructions by the chief minister who wanted to handsomely pay the families of the two senior officers and other officials who lost their lives in the Charing Cross suicide bombing on Monday.
A senior official confirmed the move, saying “it is being enhanced”.
According to official sources, the government had earlier decided to enhance the amount for a police officer of the rank of the DIG and above, who die in terrorist attacks, from Rs9 million to Rs15 million. It was Rs2.5 million from Rs1.5 million for the critically injured, and Rs500,000 from Rs300,000 for those receiving minor injuries.
The amount for the house of a martyred officer of the same ranks was also enhanced from Rs5 million to Rs6 million.
There were various enhancements for various other categories of police officers and officials. The cash and house purchasing amounts for constables were enhanced from Rs4 million to Rs5 million each.
Officials said that the raise could not be notified because the portion relating to constables got missing in the summary sent to the chief minister for approval. “Now, the amounts in the summary are being further enhanced,” a senior official said.
Meanwhile, some other officials said that there was no such relief package for the officers and officials of the civil departments in the province who also are exposed to terrorism and die unnatural deaths like in road accidents.
“The government would allow the police martyrs fund amounts to its civilian officials once it is finalised,” an official said.
Also, the provincial government decided to improve the relief package for the families of its in-service civilian employees who die a natural death like the auqaf secretary who suffered a fatal heart attack in the Supreme Court sometimes ago.
The existing amount of Rs2 million has been enhanced to Rs4 million for officers in BS-20 and above. The heirs of a deceased officer or official would continue to live in an already allotted official residence till the age of his or her retirement, also getting his full last salary with annual increments up to the maximum of the grade till such time.
The raises for officials and officers of all grades were different but were reasonable, a senior official said.
He said at present only the heirs of those deceased officials managed to get any relief who (the officials) had sympathetic bosses or an influential relative in government. Now, the government was making an institutionalized arrangement for the automatic benefit of all its employees.
(Daily Dawn)
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