KARACHI – In blatant disregard for merit and in an attempt to further the politics of reconciliation, coalition partners in the Sindh government – the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – have drawn up plans to share at least 7,600 vacancies in government jobs, Pakistan Today has learnt.
There are at least 7,600 vacancies in various departments of the Sindh government in posts from Grade 1 to 14. “Under the agreed formula, at least 3,000 jobs will be provided to the MQM while the remaining will remain with the PPP,” sources explained, adding that an agreement for this job-sharing formula was reached at during President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent meeting with an MQM delegation in Karachi.
The decision did not have the unequivocal support of the PPP’s provincial leaders, but the PPP wanted to ensure no hitches in the continuation of its rule, sources said. As a result, recruitments on these jobs will only be made after the successful passage of the next budget. However, the premier has already handed over appointment letters of over 1,500 police constables to the MQM leadership during his visit to Muttahida headquarters Nine-Zero.
“With these political appointments under the so-called reconciliation process, deserving and competent youth would be deprived of their right to even apply from job. A precedent will also be set for future governments,” sources said.
Some of the available vacancies include: at least 2,400 in the Health Department; 340 in Irrigation; 260 in Public Health Engineering; 182 in Agriculture; 27 in Coal And Energy; 71 in Culture; 388 in Works And Services; 44 in Rural Development; 970 in Law And Parliamentary Affairs; 10 in Auqaf; 10 in Environment; 31 in Finance; 33 in Information; 24 in Information Technology; 91 in Livestock And Fisheries;
548 in Food; 212 in Home (except Police); 122 in Forests; 19 in Industries And Commerce; 30 in SGA&CD; 104 in Labour; 38 in Mines And Minerals; 10 in Minority Affairs; 126 in Population Welfare; 190 in Social Welfare; 4 in Sports And Youth Affairs; 15 in Transport; 61 in Women Development; and 138 in Katchi Abadis.
