09 January 2004	Friday	16 Ziqa'ad 1424

MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 8: The AJK Legislative Assembly secretariat on Thursday issued notifications of some 12 appointments in what was being alleged as favouritism on part of LA Speaker Sardar Siab Khalid.

Those appointed included security officer in BPS-16, assistant security officer in BPS-14, two others in BPS-9, three in BPS-7 and two gardeners and three sweepers in BPS-1.

Sources told Dawn the posts were announced to be filled on open merit, but the advertisement for tests interviews was published in a local Urdu daily with circulation only in district Muzaffarabad and some parts of the adjoining districts of Bagh and Poonch.

When contacted by this correspondent, a senior assembly official failed to give a satisfactory reply that why the posts were not advertised in national dailies so that competent and deserving persons could turn up at tests and interviews from across the state.

A retired serviceman Sobedar Afzal was appointed as security officer whereas Imtiaz Ahmed, a former junior clerk of the agriculture department who was later appointed by the speaker as public relations officer in the assembly secretariat, was employed as assistant security officer, the sources said.

They further said the two men belonged to the speaker's constituency and were his relatives as well. Sources said although the administration had tried to confine the information regarding tests and interviews, yet a number of genuinely deserving persons had appeared in the process but they were not considered.

They said those appointed in BPS-9 and 7 were also stated to be near ones of the speaker, deputy speaker and some other assembly officials from district Poonch.

Sources said two days back, another person from the speaker's constituency, Khanzada Amjad, was confirmed in BPS-17 as assistant secretary. He was already serving on ad-hoc basis for one year.

Eyewitnesses said ruling Muslim Conference leader Syed Murtaza Gillani had an altercation with speaker's son at the speaker office on Thursday after he protested over the favouritism in the appointments. Mr Gillani later confirmed to Dawn about the incident and said he was going to challenge the appointments in courts for being against merit. Syed Murtaza Gillani also said that he was denied copies of the appointment orders despite his demand.