July 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1429

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, July 21: Five youths suffered injuries when police lobbed teargas shells to break up a protest by hundreds of candidates for jobs in police department who became angry after interviews for constables were postponed for the second time on Monday.

While in Hyderabad, an MBBS doctor, an LLB degree-holder and 67 masters degree-holders are among the 1,092 candidates who have applied for the post of constable.

Hundreds of candidates who reached Police Line Naushahro Feroze became enraged when they told that the interviews had been postponed for the second time. The interviews were earlier scheduled for July 17.

The angry candidates tried to stage a sit-in on the National Highway bypass but heavy contingents of police reached there and prevented them from staging a protest.

The protesters pelted stones at police who then fired in the air and lobbed teargas shells to break up the protest, injuring five people. Three policemen were also injured. Police later arrested five protesters.

The protesters told journalists on condition of anonymity that they were poor and jobless and hoped that after years of joblessness they would finally be able to get a job but the police administration had dashed their hopes by postponing interview again and again.

They demanded that Sindh chief minister should intervene and appealed to higher authorities to probe why the interviews were being postponed again and again. DPO Naushahro Feroze was not available for comments.

In Hyderabad, recruitment process got under way at police headquarters ground in a peaceful manner where two policemen were enrolling the candidates and carrying out physical test.

Around 2,000 candidates would undergo physical test between July 21 and 25 and the successful candidates would then participate in a race on Airport Road on July 22.

Police department received a total of 1,092 applications, which included applications from an MBBS doctor, an LLB degree holder and 67 masters degree-holders.