LOWER DIR: Hundreds of youth and political activists led by Jamaat-i-Islami youth wing rallied at Gorgorai Chowk here on Sunday against the alleged irregularities in recruitment in Timergara Medical College (TMC) and demanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to conduct a fresh test through National Testing Service (NTS) for the purpose.

The protesters marched on Timergara roads and gathered at Gorgorai Chowk. The rally was also attended by workers of PPP, PTI and ANP and addressed by JI district chief Izazul Mulk, its youth wing district president Ateequr Rehman and representatives of other parties.

They also demanded an impartial inquiry into procurement of instruments for Timergara Teaching Hospital and TMC.

They alleged that about 170 posts of different cadres at TMC had been filled by blue-eyed people through the Hiring Testing Services (HTS).

The speakers said the government and the relevant authorities had not taken their earlier protests seriously. They said the government should conduct a fresh test through NTS so that qualified youth could be provided with an opportunity for jobs.

They asked Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, director general health and other relevant authorities to immediately declare the HTS results as null and void and order a fresh test for the recruitment through NTS.

The protesting youth warned to set up a protest camp outside the DC office in Timergara if their demand was not accepted within a week.

Also in the day, the residents of Adenzai staged a protest rally in Chakdara against price hike in the country. The rally was addressed by Anjuman-i-Tajiran Chakdara president Faizul Ghafoor and others.

They said the local people were buying a 20kg flour bag at Rs2,400 and they were unable to properly feed their families owing to increasing commodity prices. They demanded the government to take practical steps for controlling inflation.

ELECTROCUTTED: A Pesco employee identified as Noorul Islam of Qulandai, Upper Dir, was electrocuted while he was repairing a power supply line in Doro area of Sheringal on Sunday, police said.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2022