LAHORE: Hundreds of candidates vying for the Provincial Management Service (PMS) (Ministerial Quota) BS-17 posts staged a protest against the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) for relocating their examination centre from south Punjab to Lahore.

Following the successful completion of the first phase of the PMS examination—General Knowledge paper—held across Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur, approximately 5,600 candidates from all over Punjab were notified to appear for the second phase, comprising English and Urdu essay papers to be held in Lahore on August 24.

The decision sparked widespread discontent among hundreds of candidates from south Punjab, who passed the first phase. They say the abrupt change in the examination centre by the PPSC caused financial and logistical issues for them.

In a letter addressed to the PPSC chairman (a copy available with Dawn), the candidates lamented the sudden shift, stating the move imposes a financial burden of nearly

Rs10,000 for each of them as travel and accommodation costs.

“Most of us belong to underprivileged families and it is hard for us to afford the cost of travelling to Lahore or securing a place to stay,” the letter reads. The protesting candidates further argued that the long journey from south Punjab to Lahore would adversely affect their physical and mental preparedness for the examination.

They urged the commission to reconsider its decision and conduct the second phase of the exam in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur, where the first phase was held. “Holding exams locally would ensure peace of mind and better performance by the south Punjab candidates,” a protester added.

Despite repeated attempts, the PPSC spokesperson was unavailable for his comment.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2025