The official spokesperson of the province’s prime recruiting agency, Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has refused to share details of the FIRs lodged by the commission against candidates who violated its rules, on the pretext that the information is classified.
“The Commission Chairman did not like that the information of the FIRs be disclosed publicly till the investigations are underway,” said the spokesperson. The spokesperson however, could not justify why the information against those the police have registered FIRs can’t be shared. However, in an official handout, it was claimed that some 16 FIRs had been launched against the aspirants who were found involved in impersonation, using gadgets in halls or cheating.
In the press release, it was related that the Commission has taken several conducive, concrete and rational steps in order to ensure a transparent, foolproof and merit-based recruitment process. The handout also highlighted steps taken by the PPSC like provision of jammers and their installation in exam centers, in order to curb the use of mobiles/electronic gadgets during the examination. In order to ascertain the veracity of the candidates and to identify the impersonators, the Commission has started verification of the thumb impressions of the candidates from NADRA.
PPSC has also improved its vigilance measures in order to identify and apprehend the defaulter. Such candidates are being prosecuted by Punjab Police. In order to curb wrong practices, FIRs against impersonators and their facilitators are being lodged, the document stated. Recently, a case of cheating/impersonation has been identified by the PPSC and legal action as per the law is being taken against the defaulters, it held.
The Punjab Police is carrying out investigations to take this case to the logical end. It also added that the PPSC has revised its mechanism of written examinations/interviews to bring in more transparency and merit-based recruitments. PPSC has also started strict vigilance of culprits within and outside to this end. Since July 2021 till now, a total of 16 FIRs have been lodged against candidates involved in cheating, impersonation and use of mobiles/electronic gadgets during the examinations. The challans of 13 FIRs have been submitted by the Punjab Police and three recent FIRs are under investigation by the concerned police stations.
A commission official, requesting privacy, was of the view that there was nothing wrong in sharing the information for transparency. He said that the commission should restore its damaged image in the public. Muhammad Asjad, a candidate who appeared in the provincial examinations, was of the view that the commission should disclose the information of those candidates who were involved in illegal practices during the examinations. When contacted how the details of the FIRs lodged by the commission were classified neither the PPSC Chairman nor the secretary responded.
