APROPOS the news report ‘Senate panel rejects bills on quota, ratification of accords’ (Feb 14). The Senate by rejecting the motion sent a message across Pakistan that the senate stands for the prevalence of merit in the country.

The quota system was enforced in the 1970s in educational institutions and government jobs in the early 1970s for a period of 10 years.

The objective was to provide an opportunity to the people of less developed districts to acquire higher education and compete for government jobs. This was for 10 years and successive governments kept extending it.

In my opinion, 46 years after it was imposed, it needs to be done away with as there are many universities throughout the country. If needed at all the quota system needs to be revisited.

One hopes the national assembly and the senate will allow merit to prevail on the whole and come up with a mechanism to apply a compassionate policy where needed.

S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza

Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020