Aspiring policeman unable to write a paragraph on Karachi violence

The petitioner was asked to write after he was passed over for the job.

KARACHI: A candidate who had reportedly cleared the written exam for the post of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) in Sindh police, was unable to write a single paragraph when asked by the judges of the Supreme Court.

Malik Tahir had approached the apex court and alleged that he was passed over by the Sindh police department, which had instead hired others who had political backing.

Tahir had claimed that he had cleared the necessary written and physical exams in 1994.

After conducting initial hearings, the bench, comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, had earlier directed police officials to constitute a committee to re-examine the candidates who were allegedly overlooked by political appointments.

On Monday, Additional IG (Legal) Ali Sher Jakhrani told the justices that the committee had judged Tahir to be “ineligible” for appointment, as he could neither read nor write.

“If he can write even a paragraph, I assure the court that he would be considered for appointment,” Jakhrani claimed.



Tahir insisted, however, that he was eligible for the job. Putting the police official’s claims to the test, the judges ordered the aspirant to “write a single paragraph in English and give your opinion on how the situation in Karachi can be improved”. They told court officials to give him a pen and paper, before moving onto hearing of another case. However, Tahir was seen seeking his lawyer’s help over how, and what, to write.

At this point, the bench said that, “we cannot have a person [working] as an ASI, who cannot even write a single paragraph”. The bench then declared Tahir to be ineligible for the position, and dismissed the petition.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2013.