The Unemployed Pharmacists’ Action Committee in Balochistan disapproved of the government’s decision to announce a limited number of job openings for over 2,000 unemployed pharmacists, likening it to a meager offering. The committee demanded more job opportunities and a fair, merit-based recruitment process.
During a press briefing at the Quetta Press Club, UPAC General Secretary Qasim Aziz Mengal expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, advocating for the creation of additional positions and a transparent recruitment system. He criticized the appointment of pharmacists to BPS-17 posts through walk-in interviews, alleging favoritism and lack of transparency in the health department’s recruitment procedures.
Concerns were raised over the absence of pharmacy departments in private hospitals, with condemnation of a recent notification by the health department advertising doctor and pharmacist vacancies on a contractual basis. Meanwhile, in Quetta, government employees were arrested as they attempted a sit-in protest in the Red Zone, leading to disruptions in mobile internet services in the area.
Government employees from Balochistan gathered in Quetta following an alliance announcement by workers’ organizations to address their grievances. The protest has impacted operations in various government offices, with authorities resorting to roadblocks and arrests to prevent further demonstrations. Subsequently, the Balochistan Grand Alliance initiated a “jail bharo” campaign post the protests.
