KARACHI: In a setback for the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC), the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday suspended the results of its Combined Competitive Examination (CCE)-2024 and ordered the sealing of the entire record on petitions filed by several candidates.

While issuing notices to the SPSC and other respondents, a two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC headed by Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar ordered that the record be produced in court on May 21.

The bench also restrained the respondents from proceeding any further till the next hearing.

Citing the chief secretary, SPSC and others as respondents, various petitioners approached the SHC and submitted that they had appeared in the CCE-2024 and the results were announced on May 6 by the Commission through a press release, wherein only 70 candidates were declared successful.

Bench orders sealing of entire record; issues notices for May 21

The petitioners’ counsel contended that their clients had secured high marks in the screening test and had appeared in the written part of the examination and performed well, but under extraneous considerations, the commission declared its “blue-eyed” candidates successful.

The counsel also argued that the SPSC has lost its credibility as the petitioners had filed representations against “managed” results, but neither had any notice been issued nor had any hearing been afforded.

In its order, the bench said that since serious concerns had been raised about the respondents, they were directed to seal the entire record of CCE-2024 and place the same before it at the next hearing.

Till the next hearing, it also stated, “The operation of the impugned press release dated 06.05.2026 shall remain suspended, and no further process pursuant thereto shall be undertaken.”

It may be noted that the SPSC has been facing criticism on social media since it announced CCE results. Several unsuccessful candidates had staged protest demonstrations.

Irked by criticism, an SPSC official had lodged a terrorism case against a journalist and two social media influencers for “spreading baseless propaganda”.

Recently, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan also submitted a resolution in the Sindh Assembly, seeking a debate and forensic audit of the exam results.

Candidates protest in Hyderabad

A large number of candidates who sat various examinations, including the 2024 Combined Competitive Exams (CCE), held a protest sit-in outside the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) headquarters the other day.

The demonstrators were protesting against what they described as “questionable results”, demanding transparency in the commission’s grading process.

The protesters primarily challenged the 2024 CCE results, alleging that associates of the sitting Sindh government officials had been favoured in the selection process. They further claimed that SPSC officials systematically “distribute” departmental vacancies amongst themselves whenever positions are advertised.

The students led by Wajahat Hingorjo, Farman Ali, Zabiullah Mastoi and others gathered outside Shamsul Ulema Daudpota Library and then marched up to the SPSC offices to stage the sit-in. The protest continued for over two hours. Representatives of different nationalist groups and parties joined their protest. They demanded removal of SPSC chairman Mohammad Wasim.

They demanded that the CCE 2024 results should be declared null and void, a transparent third party audit should be conducted in the SPSC and the commission should be declared null and void, a transparent third party audit should be conducted in the SPSC and the commission should be made a credible institution of Sindh trusted by all.

Others who joined in the protest to express solidarity with the protesting students included analyst Jami Chandio, Sindh United Party leader Roshan Buriro, Sindh Hari Committee leader Samar Jatoi, PTI’s Insaf Wing leader Dr Badar Channa, Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association leader (SPLA) Yaqoob Chandio, Faisal Mughal, Naveed Jarwar, Sindhu Nawaz, Shakir Shar and Abdul Wahab Munshi advocate.

They accused the current rulers of “destroying” the province, insisting that the SPSC chairman and its members must be individuals of unquestionable integrity.

They alleged that public sector jobs are being “sold” to the relatives and associates of those in power, claiming that these grievances continue to be ignored by the authorities.

Furthermore, they argued that examinations have become a mere formality for the sale of positions, and that those who speak out against such practices are being targeted with retaliatory charges.

Demanding an end to the “murder of merit”, the speakers called for an independent inquiry into the commission’s affairs.

They vowed to resist the SPSC’s current practices, describing the body as the sole institution where capable students might secure dignified employment through fair examination.

“If positions are reserved for relatives or sold to the highest bidder, where are these students to go?” they asked.

The group expressed full solidarity with the protesters, concluding that the PPP-led government had delivered nothing but “disappointment and hopelessness”.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026