Up in arms: Class-IV candidates block Abbottabad Road

Accuse King Abdullah Teaching Hospital administration of favouritism

MANSEHRA: Candidates for Class-IV employee posts staged a protest against the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital administration, accusing officials of favouritism.

As a result of their protest, the Abbottabad Road was blocked for traffic for two hours and police resorted to a baton charge to disperse the demonstrators.

The administration of the medical facility had announced jobs for 30 Class-IV employees and issued call letters to 2,500 candidates. According to hospital sources, the administration had called these candidates to appear for a test and interview on Thursday.

While the candidates gathered at the hospital to appear for the tests, the administration cancelled the process without announcing fresh dates for these tests.

This sparked outrage among the hopefuls.

The candidates blocked Abbottabad Road for two hours. They accused the hospital administration and political leadership of the district, including MPAs, of secretly colluding to hire their favourites prior to the test and interview process and circumventing merit.

Police officials negotiated with the protesters and asked them to end the blockade. However, when the angry mob refused, the law enforcers resorted to a baton charge and dispersed them.

Meanwhile, the hospital administration, when contacted, confirmed that tests and interviews of the candidates were indeed scheduled for Thursday.

However, officials added, these procedures had to be cancelled since the hospital did not have enough space to accommodate all 2,500 candidates at once.

They added that the hopefuls would instead be called in smaller groups later this month. The hospital administration rejected accusations that the posts had been filled by favourites.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2016.