PM Imran suggests merit, not seniority, in govt appointments

Published March 22, 2022
Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses a ceremony in Islamabad on Monday. — PID
Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses a ceremony in Islamabad on Monday. — PID

ISLAMABAD: Claiming that his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government has put the country on the track to sustainable growth, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday remarked that the heads of state institutions should be appointed on the basis of “merit” and not “seniority”.

“If a senior is not eligible to become a chief executive, the second-best should be made the head of the institution,” the prime minister said while addressing the groundbreaking of a 200-bed accident and emergency centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (Pims) and another 300-bed Jinnah Hospital in Sector G-11/3.

While urging the Pims Board of Directors to ensure meritocracy on the lines of the private sector, he said people should be inducted on merit — a point he has been stressing throughout his political career. “Under the prevailing government system, one reaches the top position on the basis of seniority,” he said, adding the time had come for institutions to adopt the system of the private sector.

The government system did not follow merit, he claimed, resulting in “unbridled corruption” in the country.

Recounting his government’s achievements, Prime Minister Khan claimed they had made remarkable improvements in public sector development, particularly health, education and economy. “No government in the past 70 years has ever taken steps for the welfare of the common man the way the PTI government has,” he added.

He then mentioned economic growth, “rising” national income, a uniform education system, the establishment of Rehmatul lil Alameen Authority and financial stability of the country.

PM meets Senate chairman, others

Later, Prime Minister Khan met Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and many other legislators to ensure their support against the opposition’s no-confidence motion.

According to the PM Office, the prime minister said development of the Reko Diq gold and copper mine would play an important role in the social and economic uplift of Balochistan, and Pakistan in general.

The Senate chairman thanked the PM for striking a successful agreement with Barrick Gold Company for the development of gold and copper reserves in Reko Diq, and the waiver of a penalty worth $11 billion. Under the project, the company would invest $10bn in Balochistan, creating 8,000 jobs in the Reko Diq area.

Others who met the prime minister were MNAs Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Aftab Siddiqui, Saifur Rehman, Attaullah, Akram Cheema, Fahim Khan, Aslam Khan, Alamgir Khan, Abdul Shakoor Shaad, retired Capt Kamil, Aftab Jehangir, Asma Nadeem, Nusrat Waheed, Mian Muhammad Shafiq and Shahid Ahmed.

Meanwhile, disgruntled PTI MNA Ramesh Kumar, in a TV programme, claimed that 35 MNAs of the ruling party were supporting the opposition on the no-confidence motion. “Yesterday, there were 33 [dissident MNAs] and today there are 35,” he claimed, stressing that none of them will return to the PTI fold.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2022

Opinion

Broken promises

Broken promises

Perhaps the biggest impediment to the successful mainstreaming of ex-Fata and its development has been the lack of funding.

Editorial

Wake-up call
Updated 09 Nov, 2024

Wake-up call

Pakistan must heed UN's wake-up call and bring its laws and practices in line with its international human rights obligations.
Foreign banks’ exit
09 Nov, 2024

Foreign banks’ exit

WHY are foreign banks leaving Pakistan? In the last couple of decades, we have seen a number of global banking...
Kurram protest
09 Nov, 2024

Kurram protest

FED up with the state’s apathy towards their plight, the people of Kurram tribal district took to the streets on...
IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...