MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): More than 11,000 police personnel in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) are raising their voices against longstanding disparities in salaries and allowances across the force in the country.
The AJK Police Welfare Association has formally appealed to the government, demanding urgent reforms to align their compensation with that of other provinces, particularly Punjab.
In a detailed statement, the association highlighted that salaries from Grade 1 to Grade 21 are still being disbursed according to outdated pay structures.
While wages are currently based on the 2022 pay scale, pensions continue to be issued under the much older 2008 framework. This dual approach has created widespread dissatisfaction among retirees and serving officers alike, they said.
Police allowances
Several allowances — including Travel and Daily Allowance (TA/DA), risk allowance, and uniform allowance — are not being paid according to the most recent pay scale revisions.
The TA/DA is reportedly still calculated on the 2012 scale, despite a revision issued in 2020. Similarly, the risk allowance remains unadjusted to the current basic pay levels.
In some districts, personnel holding the same ranks are being paid different salaries, further fueling resentment. “It is unfair that officers of equal rank and service are receiving unequal compensation depending on their location,” the association stated.
Individual cases highlight inequities
Specific cases cited by the association illustrate the depth of the problem. One officer, Hazratullah, reportedly receives a house rent allowance of only Rs. 2,000 — far below Rs6,600 mandated by official rules.
Mobile allowances are similarly misaligned, with officers receiving Rs1,500 instead of the notified Rs2,500.
Particularly troubling is the pay scale used for constables recruited after 2005, whose salaries are still calculated under an archaic 1932 framework.
“A constable earning Rs. 15,899 is subjected to an income tax deduction of Rs. 2,000, which is disproportionate and unjust,” the association noted.
Comparison with other provinces
The pay disparity becomes even more glaring when compared to other regions. Constables in Punjab reportedly earn Rs. 73,000 per month, while their counterparts in Sindh, KP, and Balochistan earn between Rs. 69,000 and Rs. 70,000.
The lack of standardization across regions has led the AJK police force to demand parity, especially with Punjab Police, who enjoy comparatively better service conditions.
The AJK Police Welfare Association has urged the government to immediately review the current salary and allowance structures and to ensure consistency across all districts and ranks.
Their demands include aligning risk and travel allowances with federal guidelines, implementing the revised house rent and mobile allowances, and addressing historical anomalies affecting pensions and tax deductions.
“Our officers serve with the same dedication and face similar risks as their counterparts in other provinces. We are simply asking for fair and just treatment,” the association concluded.
