PPP questions merit in UoP hiring

A call attention notice has been submitted in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly regarding alleged merit violations in the recent hiring of 84 lecturers at the University of Peshawar (UoP).

The notice, filed by Ahmad Karim Kundi, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), raises serious concerns about transparency and alleged nepotism in the recruitment process.

In the notice, Kundi urged the House—particularly the Minister for Higher Education—to address what he termed a grave public issue. "The recruitment process for 84 lecturers in various departments of the University of Peshawar was marred by blatant violations of merit, lack of transparency, and rampant favoritism," the notice states.

According to Kundi, the criteria for candidate selection, including qualification benchmarks and academic credentials, were deliberately withheld from public view.

"Highly qualified candidates—including PhD holders and post-doctoral scholars—were overlooked in favor of individuals with lesser qualifications," he claimed.

The PPPP leader emphasized that the controversy casts a shadow over the credibility of higher education institutions in the province.

He called for the immediate annulment of the recruitment process and the formation of an independent inquiry commission to investigate the matter.

"Those found responsible for manipulating the process must be held accountable," he added.