By Syed Sardar Muhammad Khondai
“If you want to walk then forget about quality of shoes”, Muhammad Essa who works in a Tandoor (Bread Shop) says. Essa has recently passed written test of competitive examination for the post of Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) from Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC).
Essa has been working in a bread shop for last 13 years in Chaman, Pakistan’s neighboring dust-blowing city with Afghanistan. The BPSC had announced hundreds of vacancies for appointment in police department as ASI across the province. “I studied day and night to pass the exam, besides baking breads at this Tandoor”, Muhammad Essa , 25 who is commonly called as Essa tells Quetta Voice in an exclusive interview.
Thousands of educated youth appeared in the test and interview. However, few lucky succeeded in passing the written test of ASI in police department. It may be mentioned here that Samiullah Mengal, a young student of Balochistan martyred by drug peddlers in Noshki had also qualified written test for the post of ASI in police department.
Essa has five brothers and five sisters and migrated from Toba Achakzai to settle in Chaman for the sake of job. My father migrated from Toba Achakzai to Chaman in the aftermath of drought hit like situation that destroyed agriculture in our area, he narrated the story of poverty of his family.
Earlier, Tandoor owner used to pay Essa Rs. 600 when he was working as part time employees since in the morning he was attending his classes. “Now my salary has been increased because now i am full time employee at this Tandoor (bread shop), Muhammad Essa said.
“I am very happy over this success and now preparing to appear in interview”, Essa with bushy black-beard tells Quetta Voice.
Essa’s story has inspired so many people across Balochistan to do maximum studies to get success in competitive examinations under BPSC. Essa also referred a statement by chairman BPSC Kailash Nath Kohli that there was merit in his institution and that his own daughter could not qualify a competitive exam recently held. “This statement motivated me to appear in competitive examination”, Essa recalled.
Though, gross violation of merit was reported in the past by heads and staff of BPSC. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested the former chairman BPSC Magsi over the charges of irregularities and violation of merit in recruitment process.
However, the appointment of Kailash Nath Kohli as the Chairman BPSC has again restored the confidence of youth of Balochistan. So far the BPSC has not issued the date for interviews of successful candidates of ASI in written tests.
Looming threat of Corona Virus has forced the BPSC to impose ban on the entry of visitors inside the commission. The process of tests and interviews is likely to be suspended for sometime to contain the novel corona virus like by other departments in the province.
“My suggestion is to youth, focus on studies rather than dress and shoes to get success in commission”, Muhammad Essa concluded.
