THE prime minister’s scholarship was launched in Balochistan during the last PPP government. Under this scholarship four male and one female student for Class VIII were to be selected from each of Balochistan’s 32 districts.

On the one hand, this step opened a door of opportunities for students of Balochistan. On the other hand, it added to the misery of poor talented students who have no access to higher authorities. The administration in Quetta is a big obstacle to merit. The recent announcement of the scholarship results by just publishing the roll numbers of five students, having no marks-sheet and names, is an attempt to hide the identities of selected candidates. To add insult to injury, there is no list of the remaining candidates and the marks they obtained in the test.

These are the tactics used by the corrupt administration to ignore merit. For the last three years the sons and daughters of officials in the Quality Education Project, Quetta, EDOs and well-off people have been selected through some underhand deals.

I request Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik and his adviser Sardar Raza Muhammad Barrech to look into the matter.

I would suggest they hand over such test to the National Testing Service, the only institution in the country which can be trusted for ensuring merit.

Najeeb Kakar
Zhob