KHAR: The people of Bajaur Agency have voiced concern over the cancellation of National Testing Service (NTS) for recruitment in the government departments in Fata.

Talking to reporters here, the people from different walks of life said the decision by the Fata secretariat would encourage corrupt practices in the recruitment process as the old departmental committees had been restored for the purpose.

Haji Sultan Khan Mamondzai, a PTI leader, said his party rejected the decision as the examinations conducted by NTS ensured appointment of talented and capable people in government departments.

Dr Sharif Jan, an educationist, said the Fata secretariat’s decision was against the government’s policy to promote merit and transparency in the tribal areas.

He was worried that the decision would discourage the talented and capable people as those who have political references would make it to the government jobs. He asked the relevant officials to reverse the decision.

Asghar Khan Salarzai, an office-bearer of Bajaur Students Federation, flayed Fata secretariat for reintroducing the old system of recruitments, and expressed the fear that the decision would deprive the deserving applicants of their right to jobs. He said the people, especially youths, were disappointed by the decision.

Misbahuddin, a leader of Fata Students Organisation, also expressed dismay over the withdrawal NTS for recruitments and said the decision was meant to facilitate those who had connections.

He appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to order reversal of the decision.

WOMAN KILLED: A woman was killed and three other persons suffered injuries when a water tank fell over them in Utmankhel tehsil, officials and local people said on Sunday.

They said the incident occurred in Chinagai area, adding the family of Hazrat Khan was sitting in an open area of the house when the water tank suddenly fell down over them from the upper storey of the apartment.

A woman was killed immediately while three others, including a six- year-old girl, received critical injures. People of nearby houses reached the site and rushed the wounded to the agency headquarters hospital, Khar.

WEAPONS RECOVERED: The security forces recovered a big cache of weapons and ammunition during a search operation in different areas of Salarzai.

Officials told reporters that the operation was carried out by the personnel of Chitral Scouts upon receiving information about the presence of different kinds of weapons in the far-flung localities of Manogi and Mandal in Salarzai late on Saturday evening.

They claimed that weapons, including rockets, shells, explosives, hand grenades and bomb making material were recovered which were hidden under ground at different places.

According to the officials action in the area was part of the ‘Raddul Fassad’ operation to rid the agency of miscreants and all types of destructive weapons.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2017