SPEAKING at a public platform, a well-known journalist had recently claimed that 1,561 under-matric school teachers had been recruited by the Sindh govern-ment this year. The assertion naturally raised eyebrows and prompted questions about the authenticity of such a disclosure.

The relevant minister rejected the allegation immediately, stating that no such teacher had been recruited in Sindh between 2008 and 2026. The magnitude of the alleged recruitment also makes the claim difficult to accept without compelling evidence. There has been no protest held by the unemployed youth or opposition parties. Indeed, there has been no reaction from either the national media or civil society. Social media has remained silent as well.

This blanket silence does not by itself prove that the allegation was false, but it certainly puts the onus on the individual who had set the ball rolling with his allegation. The issue is not merely about one disputed recruitment figure. It concerns the credibility and responsibility that come with mainstream journalism.

If the allegation is backed by documen- tary evidence, the provincial government should be called upon to explain it. If, however, the claim cannot be substan-tiated, a clarification would be the appropriate and honourable thing to do for the individual. For a journalist, credibility should be the greatest capital. It must be protected not merely by the courage, but also by the responsibility to speak only when the facts can withstand scrutiny.

Qamer Soomro
Shikarpur

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026