PM launches Shuhada Package for martyred federal govt officials

ABBOTTABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday launched the Shuhada Package to support the families of the federal government officials martyred in the line of duty, comprising cash assistance, housing allowance as well as free education and medical treatment.

The prime minister, who visited the family of late Customs Inspector Syed Hasnain Ali Tirmizi, who was martyred in a firing incident in Dera Ismail Khan a few days ago, handed over a cheque under the Shuhada Package to the grieved family and assured his government’s all-out efforts for the security of the customs officials serving to purge the country of smuggling.

Offering Fateha for the martyred soul and sympathising with the bereaved family, the PM said that the Shuhada Package, earlier announced by the Punjab government, had now been extended to the federal government and could be revised further considering the country’s financial position, the official news agency reported.

Under the package, the family members of a martyred sepoy would get Rs10 million cash assistance and Rs13.5 million housing allowance besides free education and medical treatment. The family of a martyred customs inspector would be entitled for a Rs15 million cash and Rs25 million housing allowance along with free education and medical facilities.

The package will also apply to civilian officials, police and law enforcement agencies, said the prime minister, who was accompanied by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, PML-N leaders, and senior government officers.

During interaction with the family members, the prime minister showed compassion and affection to the orphaned children and called them the “children of a hero” and his father the “father of a hero” of whom the whole nation felt proud.

Prime Minister Shehbaz paid tribute to the late customs inspector who sacrificed his life while fighting against smuggling and to save billions of dollars for the national economy.

He also lauded the patience and perseverance of the martyred customs inspector’s father and apprised him of his government’s ongoing efforts to curb smuggling, citing his multiple meetings on the subject.

He said the Federal Board of Revenue, law enforcement agencies and interior ministry were in cohesion to curb the menace of smuggling through collaboration with the provincial institutions.

“The elimination of smuggling is as essential as the recovery of the national economy. Economic stability cannot be achieved without curbing smuggling. This is my foremost responsibility as well as of my government,” PM Shehbaz remarked.

He also thanked Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, provincial chief secretary, and inspector general of KP Police for their support in the federal government’s endeavour against smuggling so that people could use their produce and the country could earn foreign exchange through exports by legal means.

“I want to tell the federal and provincial government representatives that smuggling is our common enemy and we have to fight this out… Let us pledge not to spare any effort to curb smuggling to save billions of dollars for the national economy. If we set this goal, Allah will grant us success, otherwise, we will be questioned on the day of judgment,” the prime minister remarked.

The father of martyred Customs Inspector Hasnain Tirmizi thanked the prime minister for visiting and sympathising with them.

He told the prime minister that his son was inducted into the service just 22 months ago and added that he felt proud of him for opting to die with dignity while fighting for the country.