QUETTA, June 16: Balochistan National Congress president Dr Abdul Hakeem Lahri has criticised the federal government for ignoring Balochistan in recruitment for high grade vacancies of doctors, surgeons and other staff at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital Quetta. Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, he said that a few days back the federal ministry of health had announced 599 vacancies from grade 1 to 20 for the Shaikh Zayed Hospital in which Balochistan was given only 84 class-4 jobs.

He said that the vacancies included 19 posts of executive physicians and surgeons of grade 20; 13 posts of physicians and surgeons of grade 19; and 31 posts of physicians and surgeons of grade 18.

He said that not a single post of the three higher grades was given to Balochistan.

He said that only 5 posts of grade 17 out of 147 were announced for Balochistan while only one post of grade 16 was allocated for the province out of 48 posts.

“The federal health ministry announced 104 vacancies from grade 1 to 17 that include 80 posts of below grade 2,” Dr Lahri said terming the decision an injustice with the educated youth of Balochistan.

He said that major share of vacancies was allocated to Punjab, adding that if the government could not provide jobs to the doctors of Balochistan at Shaikh Zayed Hospital then it should be shifted to Islamabad or some other city of Punjab.