KARACHI – The visit of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to MQM Headquarters Nine Zero has finally resolved the issue of appointments in various government departments and the Sindh government has decided to make fresh recruitments for 3,800 vacant positions in the Health Department on quota system.
Reliable sources told Pakistan Today that the premier had assured the coalition partner on quotas of job in each government department, while directing the PPP leaders to share the job quota with MQM. Thereby, sidelining merit and depriving competent candidates of their basic fundamental rights.
The recruitment process is expected to start within a month or two with proper allocation of special funds.
More than 3,800 vacant seats are vacant in the Sindh Health Department, headed by MQM’s Dr Sagheer Ahmed. The recruitment process had come to a halt during the past two years as both coalition parties were vying to induct their party workers and supporters.
The PPP-led Sindh government, after coming into power, had sought applications from aspiring candidates in May 2008 for 6,000 vacancies. Over 17,000 applicants applied for the vacant posts, which were not even properly identified by the health department officials. However, the Finance Department had raised an objection that total number of vacant seats was 3,800 instead of 6,000.
Interestingly, then MQM-backed City District Government Karachi (CDGK) also refused to shoulder the burden of the 2,000 additional posts in 61 health centres of the metropolis.
Moreover, it is becoming increasing difficult to run the newly-established 268 basic health centres, which could only become operational if the Finance Department releases the Rs 500 million, which had lapsed last year.
Recently, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah wrote a letter to the Finance Department asking for an amicable resolution of the issue, after which the department asked the Health Department to provide details of vacant posts at the centres. The vacant seats stood at 3,800 of which 2,500 posts fall under the district government’s jurisdiction. The health department was asked to take assurance from district government for giving salaries from their budgets, but the CDGK denied the assurance.
However, with the current financial crunch, it is very tough for the Finance Department to release the huge amount from its budget.
Sources said that as all issues of recruitments have been resolved amicably by ruling parties, the recruitments process would be announced soon with all reported problems taking a side.
Merit gives way to PPP-MQM reconcilation
