DADU, Jan 21: Despite a ban on new recruitments during election process the executive district officer of education had issued about 4,500 appointment orders for primary, secondary schools teachers and clerks in grade-4 over the past two weeks, alleged the Citizen Action Committee on Monday.

The body comprising 32 social organisations, political parties and NGOs appealed to Chief Election Commissioner to take notice and conduct special enquiry against the EDO for issuing 4,500 appointment orders in department despite a ban on recruitment during election process.

The secretary imposed ban on new recruitment in all the departments till election process a fewdays ago and directed all the DCOs to ensure implementation of the directives.

Reports said that dozens of people carrying offer letters were visiting Civil Hospital daily for getting fitness certificates, a prerequisite landing a job.

The office-bearers of Citizen Action Committee, led by Qaim Ali Siyal, Azhar Hussain and Gul Mohammad Joyo staged a demonstration against issuance of fake orders in the Education Department.

Mr Siyal said that corruption was high in the department, and alleged that officers had fixed various rates for appointment orders.

Mr Joyo complained that the officers were looting the poor by giving them fake orders. The poor had to sell their animals and gold jewels of their women to purchase the orders, he said.

He said that the education officers were not taking any responsibility for the fake orders and threatened that if the practice continued and the government did not take notice. The civil society would launch a drive against the education officers, he said.

Hundreds of people including women were waiting outside the office of Civil Surgeon on Monday for getting fitness certificates. While Civil Surgeon Dr Syed Ghous Ali Shah said that a large number of people were frequently reporting at the hospital for getting fitness certificates.

They had appointment letters bearing signature of EDO education, he said, adding, that he had written to district nazim and DCO to let him know the actual numbers of fresh appointees and confirm whether the figure was genuine.

He said that the district nazim secretariat had asked the EDO of education in written to furnish information but he had not so far provided information about the postings and transfers.

Chief resident medical officer of Dadu Civil Hospital who was authorised to sign the fitness certificates told that the hospital had so far registered 3,000 appointment orders duly signed the by EDO Prof Jalil Ahmed Akhund.

He said that 3,000 certificates had been issued, while over 2,000 were still in process. He had constituted a committee o verify the documents of candidates, he said.

He said that only on Monday he had issued 175 medical fitness certificates. Around 200 people carrying offer letters were reporting daily at the hospital, he added.

PPP candidate for NA-232 Dadu-II, Rafique Ahmed Jamali said that the EDO had issued over 2,000 fake orders in different grades to gain support for the rivals of PPP.

He said that Chief Election Commissioner had imposed a ban on appointments in all the federal and provincial departments but the EDO had issued hundreds of offer letters. The offer letter were being issued in back dates and he had so far issued some 4,500 to 5,000 fake orders by Monday, he said.

Former law minister and PPP candidate for PS-74 Pir Mazharul Haq claimed education officials were selling job of a teacher for Rs50,000.

The district officer of elementary education Ali Asghar Leghari said that the EDO was not responsible for the fake orders. He was not aware of the actual number of appointment orders, he clarified in answer to a question.

The EDO of education Prof Jalil Ahmed Akhund said via a cellophane that he had furnished a list of vacant posts to the provincial secretary of education but he could not disclose the figure of vacant posts and offer letters. He said that he had not issued any appointment order.