punjab boards fill
|

Punjab boards to fill long-pending vacancies through PPSC

LAHORE: The Punjab government has initiated the process of recruiting staff against a number of vacant positions in educational boards across the province, aiming to strengthen administrative capacity and address long-standing shortages.

The vacancies have been identified in several categories, including Computer Programmer, Assistant, Senior Computer Operator, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Estate Officer. The recruitment drive will cover educational boards in different parts of Punjab, including the Lahore and Faisalabad boards.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore has been allocated 33 positions in BS-16 and BS-17. The appointments will be made through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), providing a formal and merit-based mechanism for the selection of candidates.

Officials said the recruitment is intended to improve the functioning of educational boards, many of which have been operating with vacant posts for extended periods. The shortage of staff has reportedly placed additional pressure on existing employees and affected the efficiency of various administrative operations.

Some educational boards have been waiting for fresh recruitment for nearly 15 years, according to officials familiar with the situation. The prolonged vacancies have created gaps in administrative and technical staffing, making it difficult for boards to efficiently manage their growing workload.

The latest recruitment initiative is therefore being viewed as an important step toward strengthening the institutional structure of the boards and improving the delivery of services to students, teachers and educational institutions.

The Education Department has emphasized that the appointments will be conducted through a transparent recruitment process. Candidates will be considered according to the prescribed eligibility requirements, qualifications and selection criteria.

Officials maintained that merit would remain the central principle throughout the recruitment process, with the PPSC responsible for conducting the appointments in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The recruitment is expected to provide educational boards with additional technical, administrative and managerial support, enabling them to handle examination-related activities and other responsibilities more efficiently.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    ‘Do you teach humanity?’ CM Sohail grills cop

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi confronted a police officer after his security staff were stopped at the Supreme Court gate on Tuesday. The incident occurred when an Islamabad police officer asked members of the chief minister’s security team to have their bags checked before entering the premises. The staff initially attempted to proceed without getting the bags scanned. The police officer stopped them and insisted that the security check be completed. The exchange between the police officer and the chief minister’s staff turned into a verbal argument. The situation caught the attention of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who turned back after noticing the dispute. Afridi then spoke directly to the police officer. During the conversation, the chief minister questioned whether police personnel were taught humanity during their training. The police officer maintained that the security staff were required to have their bags checked. Following the officer’s insistence, the chief minister’s staff eventually complied and had their bags scanned. The incident took place amid heightened security arrangements at the Supreme Court. Security personnel routinely check visitors, staff and belongings before allowing entry into sensitive government premises. The brief confrontation ended after the required security screening was completed.

  • | | |

    Viral protest turns Indian model into symbol of resistance

    Indian model and social media personality Riya Aher has become a symbol of resistance after standing in front of a police van during a student protest in Mumbai. Her action, captured on video and widely shared online, has drawn nationwide attention and sparked debate over the handling of student demonstrations in India. The incident took place on Wednesday at Shivaji Park in Mumbai’s Dadar area, where students had gathered to protest alleged irregularities in examinations. The demonstrators were demanding greater transparency in the examination process and calling for the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. According to Indian media reports, 27-year-old Riya Aher arrived at the protest to express solidarity with the students. As she approached the demonstration site, she noticed a police van carrying a large number of detained students. Concerned about the situation, she questioned police officers about the legal basis for the arrests and asked whether they had arrest warrants for those taken into custody. Riya said the officers did not provide a clear answer. Believing that the students were being treated unfairly, she decided to stand directly in front of the police vehicle, preventing it from moving. She later said she could not remain silent because she believed it was her responsibility as a citizen to speak out against what she considered an injustice. Her action quickly attracted the attention of other protesters and passersby. More people gathered around the police vehicle and joined the demonstration. Protesters raised slogans demanding justice for the students and called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. According to Riya, the public resistance eventually led to the release of the detained students. While officials have not publicly commented on her claim, videos of the confrontation spread rapidly across social media platforms, where many users praised her courage and peaceful protest. Speaking about the viral video, Riya said mobile phone cameras play an important role in documenting events and ensuring accountability. She noted that although young people are often criticised for recording videos on their phones, such recordings can become valuable evidence during public demonstrations and other important incidents. Riya also criticised the government’s response to the student protests, calling the action against demonstrators a serious mistake. She repeated her demand for the education minister’s resignation and urged authorities to respect the democratic right to peaceful protest.

  • | |

    Japan PM’s market woes deepen as support slides

    Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing mounting political and economic pressure as falling public support makes it harder for her government to balance tax cuts, economic stimulus and financial stability. Takaichi’s approval rating fell sharply in July, reaching its lowest level since she became prime minister last year. Rising inflation has increased pressure on households and weakened public confidence in the government. Higher import costs linked to a weaker yen have contributed to price increases. The impact of inflation is now becoming a major political challenge for Takaichi. The prime minister has continued to support higher government spending and large-scale investment. She has also criticised excessive monetary and fiscal tightening. However, investors are increasingly worried that the government’s expansionary policies could worsen Japan’s already difficult fiscal position. Those concerns have pushed Japanese government bond yields higher. Rising yields indicate that investors are demanding greater returns to hold Japanese debt. The market pressure has also complicated government efforts to support the yen. Officials have repeatedly warned currency traders against excessive speculation, but their comments have had limited impact. Government sources said the effectiveness of such verbal intervention was weakening as investors became more concerned about Japan’s fiscal outlook. One source warned that financial markets were gaining greater influence over fiscal management, creating a situation Japan had not experienced on this scale for decades. Takaichi is caught between two competing objectives. She wants to stimulate economic growth and reduce the burden of rising living costs. At the same time, she needs to convince investors that Japan remains committed to fiscal discipline. Her government’s spending plans have already contributed to market concerns. Japanese government bond yields climbed to their highest level in about three decades in July as investors assessed the potential impact of increased spending and borrowing. Takaichi has acknowledged the importance of rebuilding confidence among investors. She recently said that communication with financial markets would become increasingly important. However, she has shown little intention of abandoning her expansionary economic strategy. The prime minister has reiterated her goal of ending what she calls excessive fiscal tightening. She wants to promote growth through increased investment and tax reductions. That position has created a political dilemma. Reducing or delaying her planned measures could weaken her popularity. But continuing with them could further unsettle financial markets. The pressure could intensify in the coming months. Takaichi is expected to proceed with a proposal to reduce an 8% consumption tax on food for two years. Japanese media have reported that the government intends to move ahead despite reservations within the ruling party. The plan could provide relief to households struggling with higher prices. However, analysts say uncertainty over how the tax reduction would be financed could create additional pressure in the bond market. The government is also considering changes to its budget-making process. Under the proposed system, spending requests for key growth sectors would not be subject to strict ceilings. That could lead to higher government expenditure and increased debt issuance in the next fiscal year. Economists have warned that such measures may make it more difficult for the government to reassure investors about its commitment to fiscal responsibility. Japan’s currency is also facing significant pressure.

  • |

    WestJet agrees to $4.5 million settlement in long-running flight attendant harassment suit

    Canadian airline WestJet has agreed to pay 4.5 million Canadian dollars to settle a decade-long class-action lawsuit brought by thousands of female flight attendants over workplace harassment. A British Columbia Supreme Court judge approved the final agreement on Monday, concluding negotiations that began in June. The settlement funds will be distributed among 3,452 current and former flight attendants after deducting legal fees and administrative costs. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2016 by former flight attendant Mandalena Lewis, who alleged that a pilot sexually assaulted her during a 2010 layover in Hawaii and that the company failed to take appropriate investigative action after she reported the incident. Lewis criticized the final terms, stating that the agreement failed to deliver complete justice for the victims. The settlement contains no admission of guilt by WestJet, nor does it mandate compulsory anti-harassment training for flight crews. However, the carrier agreed to commission an independent inquiry to review its reporting procedures, workplace culture, and underreporting issues, affirming its commitment to strengthening employee safety measures.

  • | | |

    Punjab’s Rs 40bn centralized medical tender trig…

    LAHORE: A Rs40 billion centralized procurement of surgical and medical disposables by Punjab has landed under the scanner after Minute Mirror examined official procurement documents. Managed directly by the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SHC&ME) Department, this multi-billion-rupee initiative represents the province’s first centralized framework contract, effectively replacing the long-standing decentralized system under which individual public teaching hospitals and medical institutions conducted their own independent competitive bidding processes. While the primary objective of centralizing such a massive health department exercise was to leverage bulk purchasing power, lower overall market rates and enhance institutional transparency, an analysis of the purchase indicates sharp price increases, significant market distortions, and severely restricted commercial competition. According to documents available with Minute Mirror, out of 125 evaluated medical device categories, a staggering 50 items, representing 40 percent of the entire tender portfolio, attracted only a single responsive bidder. Furthermore, 45 item categories yielded just two responsive bidders, while 22 categories managed to attract three bidders. Procurement specialists and governance experts point out that although provincial procurement rules do not strictly prohibit single-bidder contract awards, relying on sole suppliers for such a vast portion of a multi-billion-rupee contract severely undermines competitive price discovery, weakens public sector bargaining power and risks creating artificial vendor monopolies across public sector healthcare facilities. Rather than securing bulk-buying discounts for taxpayers, the comparative statement demonstrates widespread price inflation when measured against established benchmark prices from the Director General Health Services (DGHS). Out of 23 medical disposables with available DGHS reference rates, 18 items, nearly 80 percent, registered dramatic price escalations. According to documents, the rate increases are most glaring among routine, high-volume surgical supplies used daily across hospital emergency rooms and operating theaters. Surgical blades across sizes 11, 15, 22, and 23 witnessed a steep 470 percent surge, rising from the benchmark rate of Rs 13.67 to Rs 78 per piece. Black braided silk sutures saw price hikes of up to 275 percent, jumping from Rs 77 to Rs 289 per unit. Similarly, essential 24G IV cannulas climbed 154 percent from Rs 96.30 to Rs 245 each, while standard blood transfusion sets increased by 40 percent, escalating from Rs 105 to Rs 147.56 per unit. The financial evaluation has also drawn strong criticism from participating firms for appearing inconsistent with earlier proceedings conducted by the Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC). During those formal hearings, several bidding vendors submitted extensive technical objections regarding bidder qualification criteria, product specification compliance, and regulatory eligibility. Stakeholders argue that the comparative evaluation sheet reflects financial outcomes that directly diverge from the issues debated and documented before the grievance committee. Legal experts contend that any apparent divergence between grievance proceedings and financial outcomes must be clearly explained through detailed, reasoned written orders to maintain public trust, uphold administrative fairness, and withstand prospective judicial scrutiny. Given the immense scale of public spending and the critical reliance of public teaching hospitals on these vital medical supplies, transparency advocates and healthcare commentators urged the provincial authorities to ensure institutional accountability, preserve regulatory compliance, and safeguard the overall integrity of Punjab’s largest public healthcare procurement exercise.

  • |

    Taiwan condemns planned Chinese navy drills with Indonesia as dangerous provocation

    Taiwan’s government has strongly condemned planned Chinese naval drills with an Indonesian warship off its eastern coast, accusing Beijing of political manipulation to project fake territorial jurisdiction over international waters in the Pacific. China’s Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday that it would conduct a joint “navigation exercise” with the Indonesian navy in mid-August in waters east of Taiwan. Joint exercises between Chinese forces and foreign militaries near Taiwan remain exceptionally rare. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council called the announcement a military provocation, stating Beijing was attempting to create a false impression in the international community that it holds sovereign rights off Taiwan’s eastern coast. Addressing parliament in Taipei on Wednesday, Wu Tien-jen, assistant deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence, clarified that the Indonesian vessel was currently returning from Japan rather than deploying specifically for joint drills with Beijing. “Militarily this does not have a direct impact on Taiwan,” Wu said, adding that the vessel was operating 70 to 80 nautical miles off the coast. “It has a geopolitical significance.” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it has requested formal clarification from Jakarta regarding its involvement. Indonesia, which maintains no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, has not issued an official response. The dispute coincides with Taiwan conducting its annual Han Kuang military exercises to simulate defences against a potential Chinese invasion, as well as high-level defence meetings between US and Indonesian officials in Jakarta.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *