MULTAN, April 29: Scores of applicants who received job offer letters from Wasa protested here on Tuesday outside the agency’s building after Punjab Auqaf Minister Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi announced halting the appointment process.

Reports said Haji Ehsanuddin along with MNA Rana Mehmoodul Hassan and MPAs Malik Amir Dogar, Amir Saeed Ansari and Waheed Arain held a meeting with Wasa officials and announced that the appointment process that was started during elections, had been stopped.

Mr Qureshi said objections were raised by the public regarding the appointments and the government decided to stop the process and hold an inquiry.

He said action would be taken against the responsible officials in case of violation of merit.

Wasa managing-director Dr. Javed Iqbal told this correspondent that although posts of sewermen, linemen and assistant directors were advertised before the elections and interviews were also conducted before polls but offer letters were sent to 398 applicants after the elections to avoid any allegation regarding political support.

He said his department did not receive any official letter regarding the cancellation of appointments so far and he had submitted all the record to the secretary (housing). Ehsanuddin Qureshi was not available for comments.