Minority representation in jobs still below par

Most hired as sanitation workers


Zahid Gishkori November 04, 2014

ISLAMABAD:


Though 208 members of religious minority groups were inducted into the Frontier Corps Balochistan in the last four years, it still falls shy of the five per cent quota for minorities.


The total number of minorities employed at the paramilitary force is 852 – perhaps the largest representation of minorities in any paramilitary force under the interior and narcotics ministry.

However, it is only three per cent of the FC Balochistan’s 27,000-strong force.

According to data obtained from Record Officer Lieutenant Colonel Asif Jamal’s office, 53 members of minority groups were inducted in 2011, 78 in 2012, 57 in 2013, and 20 in 2014.



Former interior minister Rehman Malik, who is credited with the revision of the FC’s recruitment policy, said he had given preference to minorities for jobs in the interior ministry. “They are truly patriotic, especially on senior positions,” he said. All recruitments were made on merit, he said.

The federal government approved five per cent quota for minorities in all departments in 2009-2010.

Since 2011, around 475  members of minorities have been recruited in the interior ministry and its attached departments (FC Balochistan, FC Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the National Counter Terrorism Authority, the National Crisis Management Cell, the Capital Territory, the Federal Investigation Agency, the Anti Narcotics Force and the National Database Registration Authority).

Senator Amar Jeet of the Awami National Party said minority communities have been historically discriminated against. The five per cent quota for minorities is rarely implemented. “I will protest against this in the upcoming parliamentary session.”

According to data obtained from the FC KP Commandant’s office, six minorities were recruited as sanitation workers in Peshawar, Karachi, Hayatabad and Malakand.



Sindh Rangers recruited 44 members of minority groups between 2012 and 14. Most of them were inducted as sanitation workers and two women were appointed as staff nurses in Karachi.

Punjab Rangers has recruited 24 members of minority groups since 2011. Of them, 17 were recruited as foot soldiers and the rest as sanitation workers. NADRA recruited 161 non-Muslims between 2011 and 2012. The most senior position a non-Muslim was posted to since 2011 was that of system engineer at NADRA. The second was that of a data entry operator.

The ICT recruited 12 members of minority groups between 2011 and 2012, two of them were posted as constables. Seven were recruited as sanitation workers for the Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts between 2005 and 2013. According to data from the office of FIA Director General Ghalib Bandesha, the interior ministry recruited six sweepers (minorities) for the FIA.

One was hired as a printing staffer and another as support staff for the Department of Immigration and Passports.

According to data obtained from the office of Nacta national coordinator Aamir Ashraf Khawaja, The National Crisis Management Cell and National Counter Terrorism Authority hired five non-Muslims as sanitation workers between 2011 and 2012.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2014.

COMMENTS (2)

zaman | 9 years ago | Reply

@Moiz Omar: Merit is an excellent quality, Blatant DISCRIMINATION is not.

Moiz Omar | 9 years ago | Reply

Recruitment should be based on only merit. Nothing else.

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