ISLAMABAD  -  The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions expressed its disappointment over the performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Home Department as they failed to provide the number of Khasadars and Levies personnel merged into the Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa police.

The officials said the record was not available. The committee expressing disappointment said that there is no record of how many junior officers were appointed to higher posts in the police, and said that the issues of levies and special force victims have also not yet been resolved. The committee, however, sought records from the Home Department and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.

The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions met on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Senator Hilal- ur-Rehman at the Parliament House to inquire on the implementation status of the observations/ recommendations of the committee made in its meetings on 14 September 2021, 29 March 2022 and 27 September 2022 on the matter of shoulder promotion of police personnel in the merged districts.

The committee also inquired on the point of public importance raised by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi referred to the committee for report regarding shoulder promotion of the police personnel who were posted on higher post/rank from their actual post/ rank and deputed as DSPs, SHOs, additional SHOs etc in merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with the detail of their actual post/scale, present posting, qualification, training/exam compulsory or the holding post, personal profile of incumbent, district- wise.

The committee was briefed that after merger of erstwhile FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a phase-wise absorption process of Levies/Khasadars into KP Police was initiated. During the absorption process, it came into knowledge that in the whole ex-FATA, there was no officer of the rank of DSP or equivalent. The officials briefed that gazetted ranks of regular police could not be absorbed in FC due to the specific norms, traditions and peculiar kind of administrative milieu in erstwhile FATA region and such deficiencies could only be bridged by allowing shoulder promotions to EX-Levies and Khasadars to continue discharging duties in higher ranks till promotion of officers from the lower ranks.

It was briefed that a committee of senior police officers was constituted to draft rules in order to streamline issues related to confirmation, promotion, career progression of ex-Levies and Khasadars after their absorption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Levies Force Act, 2019. The committee included DIG/HQ, Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, AIG /Establishment AIG NMDs, AIG/Legal COP.

The officials said that the prime purpose of these rules is related with the service structure of ex-Levies and Khasadars and the way such Levies and Khasadars are to be brought into mainstream and career progression. It was apprised that the case has already been sent to Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department for further necessary action and approval by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

The official also informed the committee that in Lakki Marwat, 77 Levies personnel were illegally integrated into the police force, on fake domicile and an inquiry is being conducted to investigate the matter and action will be taken as per law.

The committee was also briefed that due to shortage of officers in senior ranks in newly-merged districts, the absorbed ex-Levies and Khasadars have been posted to higher ranks on acting charge basis to fulfil the deficiencies and for smooth functioning of field and to resolve the issues as per norms, culture and traditions of erstwhile FATA. However, the officials further said that these officers discharging duties in different ranks are drawing their salaries in their actual/substantive ranks.

The committee members observed that the briefing given still does not fulfil the implementation of committee recommendations that too even after 2 years and repeatedly inquired about the progress in two years to which the officials failed to give any concrete answer. The committee observed that shoulder promotions cannot be given on the basis of services, even as per the judgement of the Supreme Court and said that non implementation of the committee recommendations leads to breach of privilege of the committee, however, the committee believed that understanding the constraints on the people of erstwhile FATA, the committee will prefer to support the ministry and resolve the matter.

The committee also explained difference between shoulder promotions and acting charge to which the AIG replied that erstwhile FATA is an exceptional case and shoulder promotion is a hugely define term. He said that promotions out-of-turn become difficult to revert since the officers starts enjoying all the financial benefit and privileges associated to that post.

The committee expressed disappointment over the performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Home Department for not providing the number of Khasadars and Levies personnel merged into the police. The committee also expressed disappointment over no record of how many junior officers were appointed to higher posts in the police. The committee sought records from the Home Department and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and deferred till next meeting both matters.

The meeting was attended by Senator Sania Nishter, Senator Bahramanad Khan Tangi, Senator Haji Hidayat Ullah Khan and Senator Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah.