Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) has terminated the services of 1,100 employees, who were recruited on political ground some 18 months ago, overriding merit and other legal norms. This was officially stated here on Thursday. Sources said that Wapda/Mepco employees' sons would not be removed from the job and they would continue to serve as usual.
HRM section of Mepco issued the termination notifications in the light of orders of Lahore High Court (Principal seat) (Multan bench) and LHC (Bahawalpur bench). According to the notification, servics of 1100 persons recruited purely on political ground would be ended with immediate effect. However, services of 260 employees who were recruited against employee-son/daughter quota would not be affected. Sources said that Lahore High Court had ordered Mepco management to remove all such employees who were recruited on the 'Sifarish' of high profile personalities like prime minister, ex-federal minister for water and power, senators, members of parliament of ruling party.
The Court advised the management to advertise all posts, and all posts be replenished after written exam and interviews and Court be kept informed about the recruitment on merit. Mepco management did not implement on court orders in 2010 and used delaying tactics. Later, Mepco management asked the affectees to move the court challenging the orders of Multan as well as Bahawalpur benches. However, Lahore High Court ( Principal Seat) rejected their appeal, upholding the judgements of its benches. Mepco management staged a drama in October 2009 and dispatched interview call letters to 71,000 candidates against 1100 posts. But the management replenished all posts clandestinely, and not a single candidate was chosen from among the 71,000 candidates.