Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif has announced a raise in the salaries of Punjab Police from April 1, 2009. Lower staff will benefit more from this decision. He also announced risk allowance equal to one basic pay, a fixed daily allowance of 20 days and ration allowance equal to civil armed forces.
He also announced increase in financial assistance from Rs 2 million to Rs 3 million for the families of Police martyrs and said that Punjab government would bear additional expenditure of Rs 8 billion on the increase in the salaries and allowances of police. He said that now Police would have to play an active role and come up to the expectation of the people with regard to protection of life and property of citizens, provision of justice, change in Thana culture and maintenance of law and order.
He dilated that police was being imparted training on modern lines as well given as latest weapons to cope with the challenge of terrorism, extremism and militancy. He was addressing Police officers and Jawans at Police Lines Qila Gujar Singh, here on Wednesday.
Shahbaz further said that Pakistan was currently facing serious problems including terrorism and militancy, however, living nations counter all challenges with courage and steadfastness. Quoting the example of Germany and Japan, he said that both these countries were ravaged by international forces, but these re-emerged as strong nations due to their hard work, commitment and determination.
Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that China achieved independence two years after the creation of Pakistan and had become a superpower. He posed question that why despite having all resources and fertile brains were on a downward slide and had not been able to achieve those objectives for which forefathers made supreme sacrifices.
He said that there was a need for a close analysis and self-reckoning adding they would have to make strenuous efforts to regain lost status and added that no one would come to help. He said that Pakistan came into being after innumerable sacrifices and an epic struggle and now they would have to make it a welfare state where justice and basic necessities were available to everyone as was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.
Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif further said that peace remained a pre-requisite for investment and economic development and for this purpose terrorism, militancy, extremism, oppression and economic disparities would have to be removed while change in thana culture and equitable distribution of resources as well as education, health and basic amenities would have to be ensured to the masses at their doorstep.
The Chief Minister said that overseas Pakistanis were willing to invest in Pakistan but was concerned about the safety of their capital as well as their families. He said that such apprehensions and fears would have to be allayed and Punjab would have to be transformed into a haven of peace and tranquility. He said a sense of security would have to be promoted by transforming police stations into centres for provision of justice rather than symbols of terror.
Inspector General police Punjab Shaukat Javed while addressing the function said that maintenance of peace and tranquility in the province had always been the top priority of the Chief Minister and he had provided abundant funds to police for this purpose. He said that increase in the salaries of police would result in improvement in its performance and it would spare no efforts for rooting out terrorism, redressing grievances of the common man and elimination of crimes from the society. CCPO Lahore Muhammad Pervez Rathor also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Chief Minister Punjab gave away certificates and cash awards to the police officers and jawans who had arrested proclaimed offenders with head-money.
Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Advisors Jehanzeb Burki and Saeed Mehdi, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, Home Secretary, Inspector General Police and senior officers were present.