Pakistan Railways starts recruitment drive

As many as 1,600 vacancies to be filled.

LAHORE:

Pakistan Railways (PR) has initiated a recruitment drive to induct 1,600 candidates on Basic Pay Scale (BPS)-1 to 10 positions by the end of next month, officials told The Express Tribune.

The much awaited process began following a nod the railways ministry had given to PR’s management to start the recruitment process on all vacancies in BPS-1 to 10. The previous policy to recruit candidates on a divisional domicile quota basis has now been changed to a provincial quota basis.

According to officials, the recruitment process is said to be completed in different phases. In the first phase, all vacant posts of essential cadres, including assistant station masters, guards, assistant drivers and gang men, will be completed. Whereas office subordinates will be inducted in the second phase.



Divisional superintendents have been empowered to carry out the recruitments, an official familiar with the development said.

Another official said that the temporary employees had been regularised and fresh appointments will be made on vacant positions.

As per present figures PR has a total of 90,000 employees and the induction of 1,600 fresh appointees is said to enhance the efficiency of the dilapidated organisation.



With an ongoing financial crisis that grips the PR fresh appointments are expected to burden the organisation.

The official said that the appointments will be made on a merit basis, adding that the management will ensure a strict screening process is maintained.

However, in the past appointments were made on the recommendations of ruling party parliamentarians, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2012.