Under ECP directive: Pakistan Railways suspend recruitments

Recruitments stopped forthwith despite the fact that the process was nearly completed in several divisions: PR

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Railways (PR) recruitment process has been suspended following instructions from the Election Commission of Pakistan, The Express Tribune has learned. The move comes in light of a ban on recruitment in government organisations and departments, announced by the Chief Election Commissioner in a bid to avert pre-poll rigging in any form.

According to a senior PR official, recruitments have been stopped forthwith despite the fact that the process was nearly completed in several divisions.

“The process was virtually completed in Peshawar… only the issuance of offer letters to selected candidates remained,” he added.

Another senior official, meanwhile, said all temporary employees have been regularised to meet the shortfall of personnel which would have been met by the fresh hirings.

PR started the recruitment process to fill close to 1,600 posts, ranging from basic pay scale 1 to 10, in November last year. According to PR sources, over 15,000 candidates applied for the advertised posts.

They said it was expected that the recruitments would be completed by the end of the following month, but the process was delayed due to certain reasons.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2013.