Karachiites will certainly remember fiery speeches from Altaf Hussain and other MQM leaders of the 1980’s and 1990’s where he argued and pleaded against the rural-urban quota system which had been imposed in the Sindh province since 1973. MQM, at that point, had argued strongly that such a quota system was not only undemocratic, but also prejudiced, and sought to alienate the educated urban middle class, and create a permanent rift between the Sindhis and the Mohajirs.
The argument, as I remember clearly from public rallies and TV appearances of Altaf Hussain, was that Pakistan needed to move towards a merit-based system, and far away from a quota system. This would be just and equitable, and would also ensure that the best qualified people were taking up government jobs.
With that party manifesto in mind, the news today in Daily Times that Sindh gov’t has decided to do away with a Rural-Urban quota system, in favor of a political party based quota system, where MQM gets to have 50% of the appointment offers, comes as a surprise.
Yes, maybe I should not be as surprised as I am given the recent history of MQM’s performance as a political party and in the government, but it still boggles my mind how they consider this to be just, equitable and better for the province? And what happened to the idea that a quota system was creating a dangerous rift between the different communities? According to the news:
For the first time since 1973, the Sindh government will appoint officers according to their party affiliations rather than on an urban-rural quota. This decision, made about two months ago, has proved extremely unpopular with ministers and other workers of the government who are planning to protest.
Thus, the quota system has been replaced with a ‘party quota’. The former policy stated that 60 percent of employees will be from rural areas and 40 percent will be from urban areas. The new policy says that 50 percent of employees will be from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), 30 percent from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the remaining 20 percent from other ruling coalition parties.
A recruitment cell has been set up at Chief Minister House and the CM has put close aide Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi in charge. All departments, excluding those running under the control of MQM ministers, have been asked to send their appointment letters to the cell from where the letters will be distributed among the “successful� candidates. Under the unannounced agreement, all vacancies in the jurisdiction of the City District Government Karachi would also be filled through MQM’s nominations.
While governments all over the world have political appointees in certain key posts, it is almost unheard of in modern competitive economies to have such a ridiculous quota system. Does this mean that non-members of political parties, or members of opposition parties, now have no chance of getting government jobs even if they were much better qualified for them? What does this mean for the government bureaucracy that is already plagued with nepotism, incompetence, and corruption. And to say the least, what about continuity in operation. Will we see a change of faces, and confusion, at the local post office, courts, government offices every time the provincial government changes?
Not surprisingly, civic organization and labor unions are starting to protest against such a plan, even if currently no new hires are being made by the government.
Sources said that provincial ministers of the ruling party have advised their party workers and employees to protest. A leader of the Sindh Employees United Alliance and president of the All Pakistan Clerks Association Peral Dayo told Daily Times that they planned to file a petition in the Sindh High Court and would hold protests. Unions have announced a Sindh-wide protest and some of them have said that the issue will be taken up at the All Pakistan Democratic Movement meeting in Islamabad today.
The policy seems not only as bad as, if not worse, than the earlier policy of quota system, but is also bound to create further fissures between the working class in Sindh. There is no need to provide more fuel to the divisive party politics that is already burdening the economy of Sindh.
This issue is already causing a stir among nationalists in Sindh. Reports of hunger strike in Khairpur have already made it to the National Press here.
With the country being looted by vested interest MQM has been politically bribed on official appointments , I think we should now forget about high standards of democracy, human rights , equality, peace and justice in our country which is apparently heading toward the worst
Well, I don’t think it is a quote system that the news item is about. The jobs are not given on rural and urban basis. Even in that system merit is considered among those applying for the jobs on the basis of domicile. Here the problem is more serious. The jobs are being ‘distributed’ on political basis in the same way booty of loot is distributed among the dacoits and thieves. These jobs were given not to the meritorious candidates belonging to rural or urban areas. These jobs will be given to loyalists of MQM and the cronies of waderas who have formed the coalition government of Sindh. These jobs will be a tool to appease their stooges to win next election. This is the issue of slaughter of merit and favouritism done by rural and urban ruling coteries
How are they going to determine who supports which party, or word of the mouth (sector incharge) is enough? If that’s the case then here comes another opportunity to scam out some money from innocents civilians.
“The poor segments of Karachi are as deserving of it as the people in the rural areas.”
I agree in fact quota system should be restructured and should be applied in other provinces too on basis of poor-rich segments of society. But instead of 100% or 90% of all seats on quota, the % should be even( 50-50%).
Quota system has destroyed Sind education. The ppl in Karachi are de-motivated and frustated by quota system while ppl in interior Sind are not compteting. Quota system should be debated and redesigned. I dont like MQM but ppl in urban Sind supported MQM in past (mid 80’s and early 90s) just because of quota system. Today MQM support is detoriating just because there are lots of seats and jobs in private sector.
Right! So, in order to qualify for a govt jon in Sindh, you must be in the good graces of the political parties if not belong to them outright.
This is a violation of a citizen’s constitutional rights. It should be taken up with the Sindh High Court, and on to the SC if necessary.
That said, the people in rural Pakistan do deserve a measure of relaxation in requirements in educational institutions and in the job market. Otherwise, they will be at a perennial disadvantage. This new brand of quota system, however, does not help them in the least; only the cronies of the political parties. Also, the relaxation in requirements to qualify should apply to all economially disadvantaged. The poor segments of Karachi are as deserving of it as the people in the rural areas.
Why can’t all government appointments be made on pure merit. MQM’s silence on the change to party based affiliations doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve seen how they recruited thousands of their “workers” in KMC/KDA just because they took guns to the street of Karachi and used opened fire when ever they were told to do so by them.
Alas Pakistan!
I think we should not vote for one person rather for one party. Imran Khan is a good candiate but what about the other people in his party? Whats his parties manifesto? Shouldn’t we look at all that before we follow him like goats and sheeps. And just vote for him because he stood against Atlaf the devil. Is he no evil or a lesser evil perhaps. Isn’t Mr. Ahmed Raza Kasuri in his party?
Good post and analysis by Bilal. However, I find it funny that we are even considering the absurd policies that these people are putting forth.
I’ve been in Pakistan for the last two months and a few things have become crystal clear. First, MQM is on its way out, and they know it. Second, once die-hard fans of PPP are now not so sure about Benazir and were extremely disappointed in PPP’s performance at the APC.
As far as quotas are concerned, I believe an equitable quota system is necessary, as has been mentioned above. An open-merit system is fair only when everyone is given access to the same level of education from the start, which is obviously not the case in Sindh or in the whole of Pakistan, for that matter.