KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan has condemned what it described as serious irregularities in direct appointment of deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and demanded a high-level probe into the recruitment process.

In a statement issued on Friday, the provincial lawmakers belonging to the MQM-P alleged that the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) had directly recruited “unqualified” people as DSPs in the Sindh police in violation of the urban quota because of “favouritism and nepotism” and without merit.

They said that the SPSC was already known as an organisation that did not follow merit and appointed “incompetent” people on the recommendations of “influentials”.

“The partiality of the Sindh Public Service Commission will further deteriorate the performance of police and defame the department.”

The MQM-P and other urban parties have been pointing an accusing finger at the role of the SPSC since long.

The SPSC came under fire in 2019 when it appointed over 30 assistant commissioners and, according to the MQM-P, none of them belonged to urban Sindh.

At that time, the MQM-P had said that the job quota of urban Sindh was 40 per cent but the SPSC did not give even three per cent jobs to Urdu-speaking people.

It also questioned the appointment of SPSC member Sain Dad Solangi’s three close relatives on grade-17 jobs of planning officer, assistant director and assistant commissioner.

However, this time the MQM-P did not give much details about the direct recruitment process, as its lawmakers condemned the irregularities and called upon Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to take notice of complaints against the SPSC.

They demanded an impartial and transparent probe into the appointment of “unqualified and favourite” people as direct DSPs.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2021