HYDERABAD: Unsuccessful candidates of the Sindh Public Service Commission’s (SPSC) Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 began a march to Karachi on Friday from their protest camp outside the commission’s office.

They are protesting against the alleged irregularities in CCE 2024 and other examinations. Their demands include a re-test of CCE 2024 by the commission, reforms in the SPSC, the dismissal of the commission’s entire management by the government, and a judicial inquiry into CCE 2024 and other examinations held for different cadres. They set up their camp at Thandi Sarak 81 days ago, after the commission announced the CCE 2024 results.

The march is being led by Sindh Students Action Committee leaders Zabiullah Mastoi, Wajahat Hingorjo, Fakhar Zaman Khunharo, Hussain Bux Chandio, Sikilado Chandio and others.

They plan to travel from Hyderabad to Karachi via the districts of Tando Muhammad Khan and Thatta, and to hold a protest outside Chief Minister’s House.

Some of the candidates moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) through a joint petition, and on June 30 the court ordered the rechecking of answer scripts by the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Sukkur.

The SPSC appealed against the SHC’s interim orders before a bench of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), which on July 15 suspended the SHC’s June 30 orders, allowing the commission to hold interviews of 70 successful candidates of CCE 2024.

Speaking to journalists, committee leaders said a large number of students had joined their protest camp but the government had taken no notice, forcing them to begin the march. They had announced the march after calling off a hunger strike unto death at the request of Sindh’s nationalist leadership.

Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP) chairman Dr Qadir Magsi and other party leaders joined the marchers in a show of solidarity. He said the students had begun the march to expose the government. Awami Workers Party (Marxists) secretary general Bukhshal Thallu, Sindh United Party leader Munawar Khaskheli, lawyers, civil society activists and others also joined the march as it left Hyderabad.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2026