SUKKUR — Bureau Report: Candidates from Sukkur City who passed the PST/JEST recruitment tests in 2021 but have remained on the waiting list for nearly five years staged a strong protest outside the Sukkur Press Club, demanding the immediate issuance of appointment offer orders on the basis of merit and test scores.
A large number of protesting candidates participated in the demonstration and raised slogans in support of their demands.
The candidates appealed to the Sindh government and Education Department to resolve their long-standing issue and issue appointment orders to eligible waiting candidates according to merit and their scores.
Candidates Claim Five-Year Delay
The protesters said they appeared in the PST (Primary School Teacher) and JEST (Junior Elementary School Teacher) tests in 2021 and had subsequently remained on waiting lists through various stages of the recruitment process.
According to the candidates, applicants with lower scores in several other areas of Sindh had already received appointment offer orders.
They claimed that in some areas, candidates who scored more than 40 marks had been appointed, while qualified candidates from Sukkur City who obtained 50 or more marks were still waiting for appointment orders.
The protesters described the situation as discriminatory and demanded that the recruitment process be reviewed and completed strictly according to merit and test scores.
Repeated Assurances, No Permanent Solution
The candidates said they had repeatedly been given assurances that their grievances would be addressed.
They claimed that they had been called before a Grievance Committee on some occasions and had also been given hope of a hearing before a Special Committee.
However, despite appearing before relevant forums several times, the candidates said their fundamental issue had still not been resolved.
They expressed frustration that nearly five years had passed since they qualified the recruitment test, yet they remained deprived of the appointment orders they believed they were entitled to.
The prolonged uncertainty, they said, had created serious anxiety among candidates and their families.
Criticism of Elected Representatives
The protesters also criticized elected representatives from Sukkur, alleging that the city’s MPs and MPAs had failed to effectively raise their issue before the relevant authorities.
They said the future of thousands of candidates was at stake because of the prolonged delay in completing the recruitment process.
The candidates maintained that they were not demanding anything beyond their legal right to be considered according to merit and their test scores.
They urged elected representatives and government officials to take practical steps instead of merely providing assurances.
Special Committee Meeting
The protesters said a meeting of the Special Committee had been scheduled for August 5, and they hoped that the meeting would finally address the long-standing issue of PST/JEST candidates from Sukkur City.
They expressed hope that the committee would review the candidates’ cases and decide to issue appointment offer orders on the basis of merit and test scores.
The candidates said they were still pursuing their demands through peaceful and constitutional means and wanted the authorities to resolve the matter without forcing them to intensify their protests.
Warning of Wider Protest
The protesting candidates warned that if their demands were not accepted at the Special Committee meeting and no clear progress was made toward issuing appointment orders, they would expand their protest movement.
They said they could organize peaceful marches and demonstrations, including a protest outside Bilawal House and a demonstration around the Sindh Assembly.
The candidates emphasized that any future protest would remain within peaceful and democratic means.
Demand for Immediate Appointment Orders
The protesters called on the Sindh government, Education Department, Special Committee and other relevant authorities to treat the issue of PST/JEST 2021 waiting candidates from Sukkur City as a priority.
They demanded that appointment offer orders be issued immediately to eligible candidates according to merit and test scores.
They said resolving the issue would bring an end to the uncertainty faced by candidates who had been waiting for employment for nearly five years.
Among those participating in the protest were Mahfooz Ahmed, Majid Ali and Ali Raza, along with a large number of other PST/JEST candidates.
The protesters raised slogans in support of their demands and called for immediate justice and a transparent resolution of their recruitment issue.
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