KHANEWAL
A number of candidates who had applied for educators’ seats at various elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools staged a protest demonstration outside the Khanewal Education Complex against the alleged discrimination of the recruitment committee in selection of the successful candidates.
Their interviews were scheduled from February 10 to 14. The protesters including M Akram, Imran, Shakeel, Aminur Rehman, Nasrullah, Shamila, Afshan and Muqadas said the EDO education and DMO of Khanewal were assigned to prepare the merit lists of the candidate to be called for the interviews.
The interview dates were already published in the newspapers as February 10 to 14 but the merit lists were not displayed on prominent places by the authorities with mala fide intention, they alleged.
The district administration had sought applications against 1,074 seats of educators including 107 male and 130 female in Khanewal; 195 male and 199 female in Kabirwala; 97 male and 151 female in Mian Channu; and 47 male and 28 female in Jahanian while 29 seats are reserved for disabled and 35 for minorities.
The candidates and their parents alleged that the Education Department had assigned “corrupt staff” including Malik Azhar Jaffery, Ashraf, Sadiq and Malik Sikandar to prepare merit lists for interviews as they had included their blue-eyed persons in the lists and ignored the eligible candidates.
As DCO Khawar Kamal and EDO Shahid Roa reached the site, the candidates and their parents chanted slogans against the education department and the district administration. They demanded action against the “perpetrators”.
Assistant Commissioner Abid Bhatti told the media that the DCO would take stern action against the accused if the allegations were approved. EDO Shahid Rao was present in his office for comment on the issue.
CHALLANS ISSUED FOR FLEECING PASSENGERS: The District Regional Transport Authority has started surprising visits to various places to ensure reduction in the transport fares after the remarkable cut in the petroleum products’ prices.
Secretary DRTA Hassan Yousaf said that during the current month, he had visited all the bus stands situated in the district. He along with his team checked 785 vehicles on the roads and found 148 public transport vehicles overcharging on different routes while 117 vehicles were challaned on the spot and 31 vehicles were impounded. Meanwhile, route permits of 6 vehicles were suspended.
Total fine collected including traffic police fines was 108,500. He said that currently, the district administration had convinced the transporters to reduce fares by 6 percent while total fare reduction since the decrease in petroleum products prices had 24 percent in four stages.