Irregularities alleged in IEC recruitment

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Some residents allege the Independent Election Commission (IEC) has appointed relatives of influential people and provincial council members to its awareness-creating programme in southeastern Paktia province.

The IEC has shortlisted and appointed 43 out of 430 applicants for the election awareness programme in the province.

Abdullah Mukhlis, an applicant, said all the 43 individuals hired had strong connections with provincial officials and council members.

Lutfullah, another applicant, claimed he had been rejected despite having a higher education degree and experience in the relevant field. He also alleged those appointed were blue-eyed persons of senior government officials.

But the allegations were spurned by local IEC officials, who insisted the entire recruitment process was transparent.

IEC Paktia office head Rahmatullah Haqmal said the applicants had been shortlisted keeping in mind their qualification and experience. 

He said a delegation from Kabul monitored the process that preferred locals with high education and experience in the field.

Free and Fair Election Foundation (FEFA) officials called the complaints as justified, saying awareness campaigners had been hired on the basis of nepotism. 

FEFA Paktia chapter head Ihsanullah Hamidi said they had received complaints and had started investigating the hiring process.

Hamidi said the delegation from Kabul had played no role in the appointments, adding the complaints had been sent to their main office in Kabul.

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