MINGORA: The appointment of a candidate against the post of primary schoolteacher in Swat on the quota of minorities has triggered a controversy. Sources said that the candidate was a Muslim, who was appointed on the quota reserved for minorities.

Gohar Ali, a candidate, told Dawn that he applied for the post of primary schoolteacher in union council Shalpeen of district Swat. “I qualified the test for the post and was placed on the top of the merit list, displayed by the education department, as I secured 120 points,” he added.

He said that Nawaz Alam stood second in the list by scoring 119 points and Habib Shah grabbed third position in the list by getting 117 points.

Mr Ali said that District Education Officer Zulfiqarul Mulk issued a notification and appointed Umar Farooq, who got 98.78 points, as a teacher in government primary school Tangoo Shalpeen.

“Mr Farooq was appointment on the quota of minorities, but in fact he is a Muslim,” he said. He added that there was a lone minority candidate in the merit list, which was issued by the district education department.

“Rudarsh Singh, son of Doomi Chand, is the only minority candidate, who has been appointed in government primary school No.2 Kanjo, Swat,” Mr Ali said.

He said that he contacted the office of DEO but his observations were not entertained by the official concerned. “I filed a case in Darul Qaza Swat, challenging the appointment of the candidate on minority quota,” he said and added that Mr Farooq was a Muslim and a resident of his village. The DEO when contacted, said that the candidate had produced a certificate that declaring him as an Ahmadi. The certificate was issued to him by the city district government, Karachi, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2014