I did my B.Sc and M.Sc in Organic Chemistry, having first class first position and with gold medals, in 2005. Then I joined PCSIR (Karachi) as a Scientific Officer in Polymer Division on daily wages. Meanwhile, I had been asked to submit my application for a permanent job and was also interviewed in this connection.
During all this process, I gained one year's experience, and as my teacher had come from USA, praised me and even showed his astonishment that I am not a regular employee. He encouraged me at all the training sessions and finally gave me some positive nods about my research and learning capabilities.
After all these happenings, the result indeed was quite depressing. Many talented scientists working at PCSIR on ad hoc or daily wages basis, were told their services were no longer required and they were supposed to be no more employees of PCSIR. Some of them were highly trained and the training was arranged by PCSIR with the collaboration of national and international scientific organisations at government expenses.
Later, the sacked employees protested against the management of PCSIR. They held a press conference at Karachi Press Club. We were told "do whatever you can and I will see, how you get your jobs back and as long as I am here", thus said the chairman. The law tells that there should be at least three lists of Merits and Quota for hiring candidates. In the first list the most suitable and capable candidates will be hired as per merit and quota. The second and the third lists carry the candidates who are less fortunate.
The question arises here why all the vacant seats were not filled up and why only one individual was given the job? We request that merit lists be exhibited and how they were prepared and what was the criteria of merit and quota for making the list. It is an irony that under these circumstances many talented people go abroad for good jobs.
I was also told to quit quietly and so did I. But later I realised that if such things continue then who will be the next Dr Abdus Salam, Dr Saleem-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, Dr I. H. Usmani, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Dr Mubarak, Dr Abd-ur-Rub and Dr Adeeb-ul-Hassan Rizvi? We must think how best we can hunt and use our talents.