Dancing in the cliquey world
By Talha Masud
“Sir when there is no proof of embezzlement, why are those false paragraphs on my Audit report”? Inquired my father; from Mr. Ahmed Khan Lashari, the audit officer. It was August, 2002.”Sir jee! Sirf duaaun se kaam nahi chalta, aap 80,000 arrange karlen sab saaf kardengay”, Wryly smiling on my father’s question and I watched him with a strange eye though the matter was not that strange for him.
Soon after my Intermediate, I without in the knowledge of my elders appeared for a post in a paramilitary organization. Despite being on the top slot on the merit list, a referral of a Senator from sindh took my place and the Chairman declared his helplessness in a very defensive way. I only could afford a grin on my face in response.
This occurrence is what almost all of our youth goes through in the hot pursuit of their Careers or professional studies. Referral of influential persons or having some good amount in kitty to compete the meritorious individuals and ending up on a step above than them is a pattern, well pronounced. It is not considered a pity thing to pay huge sums of money as per the nature and reach of the employment for almost all of the non-commissioned or departmental exams to fill in the vacant posts from the masses. Sometimes the jobs are advertised just to fill the files’ stomach and the pre-selection is taken after the list goes through the Chief Minister’s table or if the Governor has to annex a letter from his behalf to somebody’s interest. On the lower levels, the telephone calls from high officials would work a great deal and if again someone is unable to approach any biggie, than as a last resort, has to pay a fixed amount for a job to make sure that the selection is made transparent in terms of corruption.
In the Public Service Commission, it is a very upright method until the written examinations and without being sarcastic helps the actual merit to propel upfront. On the interviews, the coin of the candidate with good referees sparks doubtlessly with some meritorious students who get selected just because they have cleared the exams with flying colors and are compelled to be baptized as the fittest. This encourages me at least but not those who also deserve to be there in the makings for sure. CSS examinations can be trusted to an extent to be corruption free because of the fool-proof selection procedure.
This world of competition requires the fittest for sure to stay survived. In private organizations, the fittest survives without a second thought. The asking time not only requires a person to be skilled, but mentally strong and smart enough to tackle with the fluctuations of the work. The moment you get slackened, many others are ready to take your position. This proficiency can be achieved provided a person loves his work and knows to value it. Still in the induction process, there is much X factor which can be bulls-eye in your interest. But again in my last workplace, if I weren’t the known guy of the Human Resource Development Manager, my quick promotion would not be possible.
In Pakistan, one has to bear in mind that in any path of his/her life, he/she would be seriously mistreated. What message I want to get interpreted here that there is always a seat of merit for all of you. Yes, for all of you. If the searching of our scruples about our destination is cleared in our minds, then a ritual failure should never distress us. Corruption has a limit too. Though the “Sifarishis” have very good chances to make that but still they can never meet the standard of a deserving candidate. And being very positive, they (organization) want you to serve them if you are competent and once you make your own place, then you are there to develop and progress in rather quick successions. It is only the matter of believing in you amidst the setbacks and strenuous struggle…
