KP Seeks Federal Declaration of Province as ‘Hard Area’

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has formally requested the federal government to declare the province a “hard area” and provide special hardship allowances for its civil servants and police officers, citing heightened security risks and an acute shortage of officers in key positions.

The proposal seeks enhanced financial incentives, including a special running basic pay allowance for officers posted at the Central Police Office (CPO), similar allowances for field officers, and an additional field allowance equal to 150% of their basic pay.

Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid highlighted the ongoing vacancy of key positions in BPS 19, 20, and 21 due to the province’s unattractive pay structure and security challenges. He emphasized that the request is aimed at achieving parity with Balochistan, which has already been declared a hard area and offers similar allowances to its officers.

Read more: Balochistan Govt Imposes Ban on Night Travel Along Key Highways

In a letter to relevant federal authorities (Letter No. SO(Budget)HD/5-14/General/2024-2025), the provincial Home and Tribal Affairs Department made the case for KP to receive the same treatment as Balochistan, citing years of terrorism that have led to the martyrdom of hundreds of police officers.

Despite these sacrifices, the letter noted that KP officers continue to receive lower pay compared to their counterparts in other provinces, creating reluctance among senior officers to accept postings in the region.