Participants of the ongoing protest sit-in at Bab-e-Khyber, staged to demand the resolution of service-related issues faced by former FATA Khasadar and Levies personnel, have called on the government to immediately address their demands, including promotions, pensions, service structure, training, reinstatement and other basic service issues.

The All FATA Khasadar and Levies Force Core Committee has announced that the protest will continue until the demands are approved. The committee has also announced its opposition to the registration of FIRs at police stations across all tribal districts.

Demand for Resolution of Service Issues and Implementation of Agreement: 

Speaking to TNN, committee chairman Syed Jalal Wazir said that following the merger of former FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Levies and Khasadar forces were merged into the police. However, despite several years having passed, the basic service issues of the personnel remain unresolved.

Promotion and Service Structure Issues:

According to the committee, despite the policing process beginning on April 4, 2019, no effective system has been established for the promotion of former Levies and Khasadar personnel, while A-1 and B-1 examinations have also not been conducted.

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The committee said some personnel were initially included in promotion lists but were later removed, while promotions granted to some personnel in South Waziristan against vacant posts were also withdrawn.

The committee has also demanded the issuance of Phase Four for the remaining Levies and Khasadar personnel, particularly ministerial and non-combatant staff.

Permanent Resolution of Pension Issue:

According to the protest committee, the pension issue of former Khasadar personnel also remains unresolved. The committee said some retired personnel are facing difficulties in receiving full pensions because their service is being counted from the date of their merger into the police.

The committee has demanded that the previous service of former Levies and Khasadar personnel be recognised in accordance with rules and law, and that the pension issue be resolved permanently.

Jobs for Martyrs' Children and Reinstatement of Dismissed Personnel:

The committee has also demanded that the children of personnel who were martyred before the merger be provided jobs according to the rules and that former personnel dismissed during periods of unrest be reinstated.

According to the committee, some affected personnel have approached the courts, while some have also been reinstated. However, several cases remain unresolved.

Opposition to Registration of FIRs in Tribal Districts:

Syed Jalal Wazir said the Core Committee had decided to oppose the registration of FIRs at police stations across all tribal districts in accordance with tribal traditions, and that resistance would be offered to FIR registration at the police-station level.

He said the committee had also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 and one Dhabba fine in accordance with tribal traditions over the registration of an FIR at Mail Wad Police Station in Khyber district. According to the committee, the fine has been recovered.

Syed Jalal Wazir said the action was taken in line with the committee's announced position against the registration of FIRs.

Government Urged to Hold Talks and Set Clear Timeline:

Committee chairman Syed Jalal Wazir and vice chairman Malik Mazhar Afridi said the former FATA Levies and Khasadar forces had served in difficult circumstances to maintain law and order, and therefore their legitimate service and financial issues could no longer be ignored.

They said they were staging a sit-in at Bab-e-Khyber and would continue the protest until their demands were resolved.

They demanded that the government fully implement the 22-point agreement reached with the former FATA Levies and Khasadar Force and immediately hold talks with the protest committee to resolve the remaining issues.

During the sit-in, political and social figures, tribal elders and representatives of various groups from the tribal districts, particularly Khyber district, have also met the protesters and announced their support for their demands.