I write this letter on behalf of numerous qualified Sindhi professionals who feel deeply aggrieved and sidelined in recent high-level federal appointments. As citizens of Pakistan, we expect fairness, meritocracy and equal opportunity across all provinces. Unfortunately, our recent experience reflects a stark departure from these ideals.
Four major federal positions were advertised in the year 2024: Chairman, Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE); Director General, National Book Foundation; Director General, Federal Directorate of Education; and Director General, Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Despite several well-qualified candidates from Sindh, including myself, applying for these roles, not a single Sindhi was shortlisted or selected. Particularly alarming is the case of the DG HEC post, for which several Sindhi professionals were not even called for interviews. This systematic exclusion raises serious questions: Is competence now being judged through the lens of provincial identity? Are our credentials and experience considered less worthy simply because we belong to Sindh? We believe this is not a matter of merit, but rather one of marginalisation.
We demand transparency in the recruitment process. We call for a review of these appointments and the publication of criteria used for shortlisting candidates. If the system continues to operate with such bias, then how can we expect unity, trust, or national progress? We condemn this institutional neglect and demand that the federal government take immediate notice.
Abdul Ghani Soomro
Sukkur
