To bring real change and to ensure the supremacy of merit-A big gap between Claims and reality!

To bring real change and to ensure the supremacy of merit-A big gap between Claims and reality!

(Written by :Abdul Basit Alvi)

“Dear Alvi, I left Pakistan in 1987, and practiced Oncology in USA for 25 years, I wanted to go back to Pakistan to pay back and make a change. I was willing all amenities of life, sacrificing my time, money, home all comforts. In Karachi there are hardly 10 US Oncologists, DUHS has no Oncology Department.  I tried for more than 8 months, to contact Vice-Chancellor, they were not interested to talk even, I have given them several proposals, I contacted every reasonable governmentt official. I made three dozen calls during midnight  and early morning time butI never ever got a return call. No Doctor from the USA is willing to go back to Pakistan now after what CJP and Punjab Govt did with PKLI, all foreign experts went back to the countries from where they came. Unfortunately, only one honest,  Imran Khan cannot change our country  as corruption exists everywhere in the country. I hope you get your justice”

These are the words from an experienced Oncologist. Unfortunately, even after seven decades of independence, Pakistan has been failed to provide an atmosphere of justice, equity and supremacy of merit to all. People with strong references easily get jobs while others remain unemployed. Strong Mafias exist in all organizations & departments and they bring their own people or people through strong references in case of any new hiring.

Unemployment is a big issue and its pain is felt only by an unemployed person. Others will give you suggestions and advises but practically it’s very difficult to get a job in Pakistan through fair means.  It’s very difficult to feed your family and survive without a job. Everyone don’t have money  , resources and skills to start his own business.

Corruption, bad practices and favoritism exists in our recruitment process and it’s very rare to get a job on merit and unfortunately these things are not considered wrong in our country. I had lot of bitter experiences during my job searching. I decided to write and share theses experiences for awareness and possibility of any positive action and to avoid the injustice even with a single person.  I would like to share my two personal experiences in this regard.

I done my MBA from Coventry University UK and BE from UET Lahore. I got more than 19 years experience of working in Logistics, Procurement, Admin, Supply Chain and Engineering. I have worked in many organizations in Pakistan, KSA and UK. Unfortunately, I am jobless since many months. I am trying and applying everywhere. I have forwarded my CV to all most all departments and organizations of Pakistan. I have given several interviews during this period. I would have get a job on merit but unfortunately I don’t have strong references and links which is a key for getting a job in Pakistan.

My recent experiences is about World Bank’s funded DCRIP Project of Planning and Development Department of AJK.I seen an advertisement about the job of Procurement expert  in this project last year. As I got huge experience in this field and my skills were completely matching with the job description so I applied for the position. Many months gone and I heard nothing from them so I called them. They told me that interviews have been done and I was not shortlisted. I wrote complaints emails to PnD AJK, Government officials and all relevant channels and told them about this injustice. Because of my emails and prompt action, I got a call from them that I was fit for to be shortlisted but I was not shortlisted as I did not attached one marks skeet with my documents. I told them that’s it’s not fair and the required documents could have been provided on interview. Anyway it’s a long story and at the end I succeeded to get a call letter for the interview. I was interviewed by a panel of three officials. Another candidate was also called for interview. He was an old person and seems to be a retired person. Later on, , upon my investigation,  I came to know that he was  an ex bureaucrat  and ex colleague of the panel members. He didn’t apply within the last date and was called by head of panel to attend the interview with 100 % job guarantee. I was called just for formality and to cover somehow my email complaints. I am surprised to see how a privileged one( and taking huge pension and benefits) is being preferred on a skilled and experienced unemployed person just because of strong reference and favoritism. His previous job under the tile and domain of procurement is yet to be checked.

I have launched complaints to PnD ,PM AJK cell, Mohtasib and all relevant channels. I forwarded following email to these offices;

“Dear Sir

I have come to know to the conclusion of this recruitment. To my surprise but not unusual,i am not selected. I want to bring some already known facts into your consideration,

A retired Officer/Ex-colleague was preferred over a foreign qualified ,well experienced and unemployed person. It clearly shows how personal relationships were favored out of merit and moral ethics. I am astonished to see that already privileged(taking huge pension and other fringe benefits) one is getting more while unemployed,qualified,experienced and talented youth is without jobs. Along with this ,i have few clear indications that he was brought in either without submitting documents within due date or submitting later but mentioning within due date.He was brought in with clear and pre planned decision to be hired while i was called just for formality. My CV and certificates clearly shows that i have worked under the title and domain of the procurement(manager/officer) and my qualifications & skills fully comply with the requirements and job description of the position.

 My interview was very well although i dont believe that only an interview is a right tool for selection as it is used just for promoting favoritism. Easy questions and gossips from favorite one while subjective question for others could never provide equal opportunities to all. Favoritism is not new in our country and the result is high rate of corruption which has been seen and caught in that office as well.

 I strongly recommend and suggest not to advertise and go for the pre planned ones without wasting time and giving mental torture to others.

Such practices are making our beloved country a hell instead of heaven to live and survive . Talented unemployed ones are forcefully compelled to commit suicide by such injustice. Quite interestingly, we have the reasons and justifications behind our actions and we never go for rectification. It is our major problem not to admit our mistakes and cover them with arguments.

 I will take the issue to World Bank,Courts of Law,Mohtasib,Media,Government and all relevant channels as well and will seek for justice.Meanwhile i request you to reconsider the issue and resolve the issue with the eyes of justice and equality. Thanks.”

 I have forwarded them this email with 0 % hope as I fully believe that these things are quite normal in our society and are not taken as a serious offense of laws and procedures. We are quite unfortunate that we don’t have proper process of complaint and grievance about our recruitment system.  I and thousands like mine are waiting for having a transparent and justice based recruitment system in our country.

For me to get the answer of my question “How to get justice in a culture if Injustice” is a big challenge and I don’t expect to get its answer in near future.

Transparency and supremacy of merit is a need of time for avoiding frustration and hatred.

Hope and pray that someone will see in such issues as well and make some practical solutions of these issues.

I had another bitter experience with FBR Pakistan.I applied for a senior position of Procurement Specialist (on contract basis) in a FBR(in their donor funded project) few months ago. I was quite lucky this time that i was among three shortlisted candidates. I got huge experience in Procurement and this was the main reason for them not to ignore me. Foreign aided project was itself was another reason to comply with the donor requirements relating to recruitment documentation.

 Any way i was interviewed and my interview was very well. I was more than 100% assured to be hired on merit, based on my qualifications, past experiences and skills. I didn't hear any news from them for two months so i called them. Upon my inquiry, they told me that recruitment has been done and quite surprisingly, my name was not among the selected ones. I thought that they might hire someone having more experience than me. I asked the name of selected one. I sat in front of my laptop and started searching the names of the selected person, third candidate and chief of project in google, Facebook, LinkedIn etc. I succeeded to find all necessary information. 

 Here is the saddened part of my story. According to my findings, third candidate also got huge relevant experience and foreign qualifications. He got very impressive LinkedIn profile as well. He is currently working somewhere in Govt Department on same position. Then i started searching the name of the selected one. I didn't found him in LinkedIn. In Google i found him as advocate at one place and as owner of some overseas recruitment agency at another place. Then i searched for Chief of the Project. Again, no LinkedIn profile but got Facebook account. I seen the Facebook account thoroughly and was shocked to see that the selected one was Facebook friend of Chief since many years and he also wrote comments on few pictures of Chief. 

The whole picture was quite clear to me. Chief of Project had commitment with the selected one to recruit him. I and the third candidate were called just for formality, documentation and donor requirements. I am quite sure that the interview questions were also shared with the selected one and all arrangements were done in advance to hire him.

I took screenshots of all evidences and launched a complaint to the chairman of that department with all facts. I was quite sure that no action will be taken and all facts & evidences will be thrown in dustbin. Same happened, I heard nothing from them. I launched complaints to Prime Minister Citizen Portal as well but didn't receive positive response. Ombudsman refused to register the complaint. Crime control & accountability agencies, Political leaders and media didn't showed any seriousness to take up the issue as they have nothing to do with people’s common and personal issues. I don’t say that i am 100% right in my findings. I might be wrong but there should be a proper and transparent system to investigate, address and remove all doubts.

My dear readers, the purpose of this story is just to highlight the facts and to raise the voice against this and thousands of other and same kinds of incidents. The main purpose of describing the story is the awareness for raising voice again injustice as well. As highlighting the issue is for helping to take preventive actions so i am hiding the real names of department and persons involved. Unfortunately merit is not followed in our country and proper complaint & grievance system does not exist practically. No one share the pain of an employed person and this behavior can be seen in all segments of our society.

By highlighting such injustice I am putting myself in big risk. As in Pakistan such things are taken quite personal and many come to save their colleagues. Its a chain of Mafia and its not easy to break their monopoly. By doing this , I am also sure not to be even shortlisted in future for any of the Government’s position in AJK and Pakistan. But no problem, anyone will have to come forward to highlight such issues and raise the voice for awareness.

To ensure the merit and provide justice to all without discrimination is a big challenge for Pakistani Government. People are still waiting for real change. Electoral slogan and promises needs to bring into reality.