by Irshad Ullah Khan
Peshawar: Violation of merit has allegedly been made in recruiting over 100 officers on various posts in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly during the PTI government.
Relatives of former chief ministers, ministers, former members of the provincial assembly, and officers were favoured in the recruitment, sources told the High Asia Herald.
The sources alleged that more than 125 people had been recruited in the KP Assembly before during the PTI government.
The recruitments were made on the posts of grades 16 to 18.
The sources further said that people close to former Chief Minister Mehmood Khan were appointed to key posts. A person from the former chief minister’s constituency was inducted as assistant secretary of assembly in grade-18.
Former PTI Minister Mohibullah’s son Malik Ashraf was recruited as Assistant Director of Protocol.
Former PTI MPA Fazal Hakeem Khan’s nephew was recruited in grade-16. Abdul Aziz, son of former MPA Abdul Salam Afridi, was inducted as Assistant Director Reporting.
Similarly, Sarmadullah Afridi, son of KP Assembly Secretary Kifayatullah Afridi, was inducted as assistant secretary.
Assembly Secretary’s daughter has been appointed a research officer while her son-in-law has been recruited in grade-16. The special secretary’s son and nephew were also appointed as research officers.
Son of Special Secretary IT Attaullah was also recruited as a research officer in grade-18.
When contacted for a response, Secretary Kifayatullah Afridi claimed all the recruitments were made after completing the procedure and SOPs.
“My relatives are qualified and got recruited after passing the test,” he said.
According to the official, the number of KP assembly staff has increased to more than 700 after the recruitment.
The leader of the People’s Party Ziaullah Afridi said that millions of rupees were wasted from the national exchequer by ignoring the merit in the assembly recruitment.
The majority of the inductees are from former chief minister Mahmood Khan’s constituency.
Former KP assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani also denied the allegation of any illegality and claimed that all recruitments were made on merit.
He said around 150 assembly officers and members made recommendations for the recruitment. Those persons, whose requests were not entertained are now making allegations.