KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said on Sunday that the ban on recruitment would be lifted after the process of local bodies election came to an end and assured the jobs would be given purely on the basis of merit.

The chief minister said while talking to a delegation of PPP leaders from Khairpur who called on him at CM House that there was no truth in rumours that a cell had been set up in CM House to dole out jobs among MPAs and MNAs on the basis of 50:50 per cent share in proceeds.

Since the PPP opponents had nothing concrete to talk against the government, they had started levelling baseless allegations, he said

He advised the rivals to stop the rumour-mongering and urged them to extend a helping hand towards the government to help it reduce poverty, improve health services and serve people of the province.

He claimed the government believed in merit and transparency. “All the positions created in the next budget will be filled on the basis of merit by inviting applications from aspiring candidates through advertisements in media,” he said.

He said the provincial budget 2016-17 was people-friendly and expressed resolve that most development projects would be finished during the financial year.

This year, his government’s focus was on education. “During the outgoing financial year, we ensured teachers attendance in schools and in the next financial year, our focus will be on teachers’ training to improve their teaching skills,” he said.

About agro-economy, he said that his government was working with the federal government to reduce prices of agricultural inputs in order to pass on benefits to growers.

He admitted that the target set for cotton production could not be achieved because of defective price mechanism of the federal government.

In reply to a question, the chief minister said that his government was keen to provide job opportunities to the unemployed. “Employment is key to eradicate social evils, most of which are caused by poverty,” he said, adding this was why the government had created over 40,000 job opportunities.

He said that law and order had considerably improved across Sindh, particularly in Karachi. “People have heaved a sigh of relief and they are going to picnic with their families and shopping centers without any fear. On this Eid, there will be record business because we have created congenial atmosphere for trade and commerce activities,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2016