No selection of ASIs even after two years

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought record from the Islamabad Police of all the candidates who appeared in the tests held in 2009 for the posts of assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), constables, lady constables and lady sub-inspectors (SIs). These people have been waiting for the last two years for publishing of final list of successful candidates. A single member bench comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddique heard a joint petition filed by some low-ranked officials of the Islamabad Police, who also applied for the posts of ASIs. In their petitions, they made secretary interior, IGP Islamabad and others as respondents for not announcing the results of tests. The counsel for the petitioners, Zulfiqar Ahmad Bhutta, submitted before the court that because of being lower grade officials, his clients were facing lot of difficulties; therefore, they appeared for the tests and interviews of the slot of ASI, but the concerned authorities had not announced results of the said tests so far, adding there was every likelihood of their success in the tests and interviews.
“The petitioners were ambitiously waiting for the result of tests and interviews, but they came to know through different sources that all this happening with a view to compensate and to give quota to the political figures of capital and some others influential,” he claimed. Zulfiqar pointed out that crime rate increased alarmingly and the country also suffered a lot due to the political appointments in law enforcement agencies and the circumstances demanded merit-based selection. He contended that as the petitioners were not being dealt according to law and their constitutional right, the petition under Article 199 was competent. He prayed before the court to direct the respondents to declare the names of successful candidates on merit. After hearing the arguments, Justice Shaukat directed the Islamabad Police to produce the lists of the candidates who appeared in the tests and interviews before the court and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.