Gahkuch: Activists and unemployed graduates protest against illegal hirings
With reporting by Inayat Abdali
Gahkuch, March 31: A group of activists and young graduates held a protest demonstration in Ghakuch, the headquarters of Ghizar district, to to condemn the illegal hiring and the support provided by the Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet, administration and opposition parties to the menace of corruption in employment.
The protest demonstration had been organized by the Ghizar Graduates Association, representing qualified and unemployed youth. They were also joined by members of the Ghizar Youth Congress, to express solidarity.
The protesters converged at the main road in Gahkuch and chanted slogans against the Chief Minister, members of his cabinet, the chief secretary and other officials for bulldozing merit and legalizing bribery and corruption in Gilgit-Baltistan. They were also holding placards on which demands and slogans had been written.
They said that it is better to torch the degrees and educational certificates which have lost worth.
They said that there was some hope when current chief secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan launched an enquiry into recruitment in education and other departments but they were disappointed to see that the people who got illegal appointments were allowed to give just an interview to a review committee headed by the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Once the appointments were declared illegal there should have been open test and interview but open test and interview was bypassed to save the illegal appointments.
The protesters condemned the role played by the provincial and federal government in not addressing the issue of corruption in the region. They were of the view that if jobs are on sale. If it needs money to buy jobs, then what is the need of keeping educational degrees. They set on fire their educational degrees. The protesters also set on fire the self governance order under which provincial like status has been given to the region.
Speaking at the occasion in here Gahkuch the activists said that their documents are useless because jobs are being gained through bribery and corruption, or with the backing of religious and political groups.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister yesterday reinstated 192 teachers who had been dismissed from service for using unfair means, including bribery, to get jobs in the Gilgit-Baltistan Education Department.
This move is being seen as an effort by the incumbent Gilgit-Baltistan government to legalize corruption carried by its ministers in connivance with bureaucrats.
In any civilized and balance society youth is considered its
backbone for holistic growth of society. It is really alarming and challenging
for leadership that to how far they have raised disparity and despondency
amongst youth. Whenever justice and
equality disappears from society than such societies suffer in disasters and leads
towards declination. Torching the education degrees is first example of protest
and agitation against corruption and injustice in GB history. If this youth is
not on right track it is duty of leaders to console them and satisfy them
through rationalization. All the well
wishers of GB are not against our own brothers and sisters in making them
unemployed. We believe in merit as the world has become a global village and
establishing a meritocratic society is the need of hour. It is moral and legal
duty of governing bodies’ (political leaders and management) to encourage
meritocracy and discourage corruption.
Once again it is expected with top leadership and management
to avoid encouraging corruption and legalize corruption through fake and false
justifications.
Just now I was
reading a statement of responsible minister in the daily news that issuance of ration card
is insult of public as if ration would be distributed through equity and
equality bases this transparent system should be appreciate if random would be
distributed as now it is happening and deserving does not get his due right
while Govt pay subsidy for such marginalized group. Such types of behavior of
leaders would lead all the gbians towards declination and disintegration that
need to be avoiding it.