Balochistan's job quota: Senate body directs ED to fill 5,257 vacant posts

The Senate's Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas on Tuesday directed the Establishment Division to fill 5,257 vacant posts of Balochistan's job quota on early basis. The committee meeting held here under the chairmanship of Senator Usman Khan Kakar to discuss matters related to Balochistan's Job quota, especially in line with Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package.

Briefing the panel, Secretary Establishment Division Dr Ijaz Shahi said that according to revised provincial job quota of 2007 Balochistan's quota in public sector jobs was increased from 3.5 percent to 6 percent.

He added to monitor the implementation of job quota the establishment division in 2009 started collecting information from various public sector organisations and since 2009 the division after collecting information from government departments every year is compiling a report which is forwarded to the government. He maintained that to implement the Balochistan job quota in federal government departments' updates are being received after each three months from all the public sector departments.

The secretary establishment further said that up to 2019 total job quota of Balochistan in federal departments was 15,785 posts of which 10,527 posts have been filled while rest are laying vacant and under process to be filled.

Senator Usman Kakar asked the secretary establishment regarding the 5,000 jobs under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package for the province and also directed the secretary establishment division to complete the process of appointments against vacant posts under provincial job quota for Balochistan.

Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed said that he has raised 42 questions regarding Balochistan's quota in federal departments and ministries but so far not received any reply from the government on 39 questions. The panel expressed serious concerns over non-implementation of Balochistan's job quota in power distribution and production companies said that the province was most backward and deprived among the federating units; therefore, no delays in providing approved jobs to the people of the province should be tolerated. The panel said that joblessness creates not only social issues but also fuels law and order situation as anti state elements exploit the situation.

Secretary Power Division Irfan Ali briefing the panel said that 853 posts in power distribution companies out of 1,230 posts of Balochistan quota are vacant. Ali said that positions under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package are in addition to the provincial quota.