GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has requested the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to expedite the recruitment process on vacant posts in BS-16 and above in the region.

He said a total of 1,061 posts are still vacant in government departments in the region despite submission of requisitions to the FPSC.

In a letter sent to the FPSC chairman, copy available with Dawn, the chief minister stated that Gilgit-Baltistan had one of the highest literacy rates in the country, but employment opportunities were few owing to a non-existent private sector and even fewer business avenues.

“Resultantly, a significantly large number of educated youth are unemployed in the area. A large number of qualified and eligible local youth aspire to join the government service through the competitive examinations conducted by FPSC.”

He said the GB government was also facing an acute shortage of efficient human resource which was adversely affecting the public service delivery, leading to serious governance issues.

“To remedy this predicament, the GB government has, from time to time, submitted requisitions to the FPSC to fill the vacant posts,” he said”.

The chief minister requested the chairman of the FPSC to take personal intervention in expediting the recruitment process against the requisitions of vacant posts.

The GB government had been making recruitments on posts in BS-16 and above on the recommendations of FPSC. However, this practice was stopped in 2012 due to the non-provision of legal cover to FPSC after promulgation of the GB Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order 2009.

In 2016, the FPSC resumed the process of recruitments for GB government after amendments were made to the relevant article of the GB Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009. The recruitments are of two types: recruitment through the GB combined competitive examination and general recruitment.

A total of 1,061 vacant posts in BS-16 and above in various government departments have been submitted to the FPSC for initiating the recruitment process.

Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the GB chief minister, said the government was taking steps to provide employment to the youth.

Currently, there are 1,061 vacant posts in BS 16 and above in various departments.

He said the recruitment on the vacant positions on urgent basis will help reduce unemployment among educated youth of the region.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2024