PESHAWAR: People from various communities have urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial government and local government departments to admit non-local employees from a project initiated by an international donor in merged districts to create awareness among tribal populations regarding upcoming local body polls.
Political activists, civil society and other members of the tribal areas expressed profound concern over the selection of individuals seen as “favourites” on slots of district coordinator, Youth Ambassador and dozens of others under the UNDP project known as “Safeer Baldiat Project”.
Sources have divulged that some influential individuals have underestimated local aspirants of erstwhile-FATA and chosen candidates from Charsadda, Mardan and other districts.
It was learned that about 40% of the staff of the project are non-locals and they have been selected on basis of nepotism and favouritism instead of prioritizing tribal populations. Dozens of candidates have been taken from out of the stations, which is clear violation and contradiction of the federal and provincial governments' promises to hire local tribals in different projects.
A representative of UNDP revealed that merit was greatly violated in the interview process and that candidates were selected on influence and pressure of government figures, that deprived locals of their right to aspire to these positions.
The concerned local government office denied all allegations and claimed that it had hired “90 percent local persons” but for some of the seats they simply could not find the right person in the relevant districts.
Local activists rejected all such claims and told Naya Daur that there are well educated males and females available locally but the hiring company and local government officers were pressurized by political figures.
Political activists, civil society and other members of the tribal areas expressed profound concern over the selection of individuals seen as “favourites” on slots of district coordinator, Youth Ambassador and dozens of others under the UNDP project known as “Safeer Baldiat Project”.
Sources have divulged that some influential individuals have underestimated local aspirants of erstwhile-FATA and chosen candidates from Charsadda, Mardan and other districts.
It was learned that about 40% of the staff of the project are non-locals and they have been selected on basis of nepotism and favouritism instead of prioritizing tribal populations. Dozens of candidates have been taken from out of the stations, which is clear violation and contradiction of the federal and provincial governments' promises to hire local tribals in different projects.
A representative of UNDP revealed that merit was greatly violated in the interview process and that candidates were selected on influence and pressure of government figures, that deprived locals of their right to aspire to these positions.
The concerned local government office denied all allegations and claimed that it had hired “90 percent local persons” but for some of the seats they simply could not find the right person in the relevant districts.
Local activists rejected all such claims and told Naya Daur that there are well educated males and females available locally but the hiring company and local government officers were pressurized by political figures.