KP requests Centre to declare province 'hard area'

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has sought special hardship allowances for civil servants and police officers as it formally requested the Centre to declare the province a "hard area".

The proposal includes enhanced financial incentives for officers, such as a running basic pay special allowance for those posted at the Central Police Office (CPO), a similar allowance for field officers, and an additional field allowance equal to 150% of their running basic pay, The News reported.

Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid pointed out the acute shortage of officers in BPS 19, 20 and 21, saying that many key positions remain vacant because of the province's unattractive pay structure and heightened security risks.

"We are not asking for anything extraordinary — just parity with Balochistan," he said.

According to official correspondence (Letter No. SO(Budget)HD/5-14/General/2024-2025), the provincial Home and Tribal Affairs Department has communicated this request to relevant federal authorities.

The letter argues that like Balochistan — which has already been declared a hard area and provides its officers with special allowances — KP faces severe security threats that warrant similar treatment.

The letter said that despite enduring years of terrorism — during which hundreds of police officers and personnel have been martyred — KP officers continue to receive lower pay packages compared to their counterparts in other provinces.

The situation has created a growing reluctance among senior officers to accept postings in the province.