NAROWAL: Allegations of violations of merit and standard procedures in the recruitment of teaching staff at Narowal Medical College have surfaced. After the Punjab government approved the establishment of Narowal Medical College, a recruitment advertisement was published by the project director/deputy commissioner on April 18, to which 169 candidates applied for professors, associate professors, assistant professors and demonstrators/medical officers. The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department formed a five-member special selection committee (SSC) to oversee the recruitment process. The committee included Prof Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore, vice chancellor of the University of Health Sciences Lahore (Convener); Prof Dr Muhammad Zafar Chaudhry, vice chancellor of Faisalabad Medical University/principal of Narowal Medical College (co-convener); Prof Dr Eice Muhammad, ex-principal of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore; Ahmad Sher, section officer (AMI-1); and Jawad Hussain, section officer (General). Also, 11 professors and subject specialists assisted in the interviews. The interviews for the teaching staff positions took place on July 23 and 24 at the University of Health Sciences, Kala Shah Kaku Campus, and 13 ad hoc demonstrators/medical officers, including women medical officers, were selected. On Aug 21, the secretary of the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department issued appointment letters to 12 selected candidates based on the merit list compiled by the SSC. However, controversy arose when the secretary removed Dr Maryam Ejaz from the merit list, despite her fifth-place ranking. The appointment letters were issued to the other 12 candidates. On Sept 9, an appointment letter was issued to Dr Ejaz for the same post, bypassing the recruitment SOPs. Dr Ejaz, an MBBS graduate from the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, had completed her one-year house job at Sughra Shafi Medical Complex on June 21, after the deadline for submission of applications, which was April 30. Her inclusion in the merit list and subsequent appointment letter are in clear violation of the SOPs. Prof Dr Muhammad Zafar Chaudhry, Narowal Medical College principal, confirmed Dr Ejaz’s joining. Meanwhile, Dr Fatima Sohail, a candidate for a teaching staff position, expressed her frustration, stating that Dr Ejaz is three-year junior to her, and that her own qualifications were rated as A-plus. “I have been unfairly removed from the merit list,” Dr Fatima said, accusing the SSC of favouritism and political interference. Another candidate, Dr Farid Ahmed also accused the SSC and the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department of collusion. He said SSC convener Prof Rathore sent the interview merit list to the department on Aug 23, yet appointment letters had already been issued on Aug 21 — two days earlier. Candidates for teaching positions have expressed their dismay and disbelief over the recruitment process. Several attempts to contact Prof Rathore for comment were unsuccessful. When approached, Dr Muhammad Zafar Chaudhry, the co-convener of the SSC and principal of Narowal Medical College, responded, “The Health Department has issued the appointment orders. You should talk to them.” The affected candidates have called on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the chief secretary to take immediate action to address these violations.