DADU in Sindh province is considered a district of PPP jiyalas. Reports from this town say that three jiyalas attempted to commit self-immolation as they did not get government jobs. …This was not the first time such an incident took place. This town has witnessed similar incidents in the past too. An activist tried to commit self-immolation when he was not allowed to meet the chief minister during his visit to Dadu. … Some enraged workers also staged a sit-in at Jacobabad on the arrival of the chief minister of Sindh to protest against the alleged sale of government jobs by some local party leaders.

…Throughout the world, governments formulate permanent policies and mechanisms for recruitment. …But we have no mechanism. If at all, here it is the royal mechanism, based on personal likes and dislikes. Such matters used to be at the discretion of the king. We have no kingdom, but this mechanism is still in place. When new jobs are created in government departments, they are distributed among the ministers, advisors and assembly members of the ruling parties. After that, it’s their choice. Those who fail to appease legislators and are left out, protest and opt for extreme steps, such as was witnessed in Dadu.

Such incidents need to be discouraged. If jobs are awarded after such extreme protests that will convey a negative message to job-seekers; that this is the only way to get a job. Basically, the mechanism formulated for recruitment is as wrong as those who take such extreme steps. If [even a] small job is awarded on merit this will eliminate the sense of deprivation and convey a message that a job can only be got on merit. Hence the youth will be motivated to attain merit and we will not witness such painful incidents. Today, everyone knows that one cannot get a job without the recommendation of legislators…. Instead of distributing jobs in a royal style, merit should prevail.—(Aug 29)

Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi.