May 07, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 19, 1428

LAYYAH, May 6: The Education Department has allegedly violated recruitment rules in appointments of four-grade employees. The only criterion for 194 seats was the treasury politicians’ recommendation, Dawn has learnt through reliable sources.

The department started the recruitments with violating the rules.

The appointment authority has to advertise posts in two national dailies. But the posts were only published in only one national Urdu daily on June 12, 2006.

A six-member recruitment committee, headed by the education executive district officer (EDO), interviewed thousands of the candidates from June 28 to 30, 2006.

The recruitments could not be finalised until December 26, 2006, as the members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs), the district nazim and department officials lacked agreement over ‘their share of appointments’.

In the second week of January 2007, warring representatives and officials reached a settlement in the district coordination officer’s office and a list of candidates recommended by ruling party representative was sent to Punjab Senior Minister Raja Basharat for his approval.

A ruling party’s MPA, seeking anonymity, said that each treasury MPA was granted 15 seats, members of the National Assembly 10, the parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in Punjab assembly two, and former district nazim Shahabuddin Khan five. The remaining vacancies were filled on the recommendations of the district nazim. Of 194 seats, 80 per cent were consumed by politicians while the remaining 20 percent were filled under a quota on in-service.

Sources said in the advertisement of the vacancies, qualification for the candidates of lab attendant was sought matriculation with science subjects but candidates with arts matriculation were appointed on 90 per cent of the seats.

Education EDO Hafiz Abdul Wahid said that all the appointments were made on merit. About the appointment of lab assistants with arts matriculation, the government had issued a notification permitting arts candidates eligible for the appointment.