Pakistan’s Levies and Khasadar announce polio vaccination boycott — Dawn
In Pakistan, personnel of the Levies and Khasadar units in the merged tribal districts have announced a boycott of the polio vaccination campaign scheduled to begin on September 21. They say the government and the police department have failed to fulfill commitments regarding their service-related demands.
As Dawn reports, the decision was announced during a protest sit-in near the historic Bab-i-Khyber gate. Syed Jalal, chairman of the Levies and Khasadar forces committee, said the boycott would continue until the protesters’ demands were met and their longstanding issues resolved.
Fine for participating in vaccination
According to a representative of the Mohmand district police, the committee decided to impose a fine of 25 million Pakistani rupees on any Levies or Khasadar employee who takes part in duties during the vaccination campaign. The decision was made by representatives of the protesters present at the demonstration.
Police sources also said that protesters had stopped registering first information reports and making entries in daily police diaries at stations in the merged districts.
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Demands over service and pensions
The three-day vaccination campaign in Mohmand is due to start on September 21. The situation has raised concerns about organizing vaccination in the merged districts. Last month, police in Khyber district also threatened to refuse duties over similar grievances, but officers later worked as usual.
One police officer said that a clear service structure has still not been determined for former Levies and Khasadar personnel. According to him, their length of service is calculated from 2019, after the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This has raised concerns over seniority and benefits.
The protesters also demand a clear mechanism for promotions and pension provision. The committee plans to set up protest tents near the offices of deputy commissioners in each of the merged districts.
