Local youth from Chagai district are being exploited in the Rekodiq project, despite meeting the criteria and performing well in interviews. Instead of hiring these qualified local candidates, individuals from other provinces are being recruited.
These concerns were voiced during a press conference by unemployed degree-holding youth from Chagai, including Agha Waseem Shah, Nemat Baloch, Comrade Qadir Baloch, Arsalan Hamid, Tariq Shah, Kaleemullah, Abdul Wahab, Shafqat Naz, Asadullah Hassani, Arif Baloch, Muawiya Baloch, Tahir Baloch, Abdul Malik, Abdullah, and Zia-ur-Rehman, among others.
They stated that claims of merit-based hiring at Rekodiq are entirely false. Merit is being blatantly disregarded as interviews are conducted with local candidates only to later fill these positions with hires from Karachi and other cities.
Initially, it was promised that priority would be given to local unemployed youth, but now, the management’s exploitation is evident. Unemployment rates have soared to unprecedented levels in Chagai and Balochistan, forcing the youth into a state of despair and vulnerability to negative influences, said local youth.
They further highlighted that, according to Pakistan’s Citizenship Act, the resources extracted from a region should first benefit the local populace. However, the management of the Rekodiq project is consistently violating these laws. A recent instance of this is the recruitment for pharmacist positions at Indus Hospital. Despite several qualified pharmacy degree holders from Chagai applying, none were shortlisted or called for tests and interviews. Instead, a few individuals were hired through phone calls based on recommendations. Such injustices are also prevalent in other sectors. The unfair treatment by the company’s management is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, they said.