DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Candidates have raised concerns over the ongoing recruitment process at the Girls Cadet College, Dera Ismail Khan, alleging violation of merit, favouritism and political interference.
Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, the candidates said appointment orders had reportedly been issued to some successful applicants, but the complete merit list had yet to be made public, raising questions about transparency in the recruitment process.
Representatives of affected candidates, including Anum Lariab, Hajra, Eman Kainat and Shakeela Noreen, called for an impartial inquiry into the recruitment process.
They said advertisements for various posts at the Girls Cadet College had been issued in January 2026, while a revised establishment code, or Estacode, came into force in March. The candidates argued that posts advertised before the new code came into effect should be processed under the rules applicable at the time of advertisement.
Candidates want merit list, marks obtained by applicants made public
They also referred to a video statement attributed to Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (Etea) director recruitment Adil Safi, in which he had reportedly stated that posts already advertised or in the recruitment pipeline would be processed under the previous Estacode, while the revised code would apply to future recruitments.
The candidates said the legal basis for applying the new Estacode to the Girls Cadet College recruitment therefore needed to be clarified by the competent authorities.
They maintained that the issue was not limited to the application of the Estacode. Allegations had also emerged that certain candidates were being favoured and merit was being overlooked, warranting an independent examination of the recruitment record.
The candidates questioned why the complete merit list, marks obtained by applicants and details of the selection process had not been made public despite appointment orders reportedly having been issued to some candidates.
They said disclosure of the merit list and relevant recruitment record would help address concerns over the transparency of the process.
The affected candidates demanded publication of complete merit lists for all advertised posts, marks obtained by candidates, scrutiny results, eligibility details of selected applicants and records relating to the various stages of the selection process.
The candidates called upon the chief minister, the chief secretary, relevant provincial authorities, the Anti-Corruption Establishment and the National Accountability Bureau to order a high-level inquiry into allegations of possible misapplication of rules, violation of merit, favouritism and political interference.
They also demanded that the inquiry determine the legal basis and authority under which the revised Estacode, introduced in March 2026, was applied to posts advertised in January.
They said that if any violation of rules was established at any stage of the recruitment process, those responsible should be proceeded against in accordance with the law.
The candidates said they reserved the right to approach the courts and other relevant forums to protect their legal rights and seek transparency and merit in the recruitment process.
The allegations made by the candidates could not be independently verified. The position of the Girls Cadet College administration and relevant authorities on the allegations was not immediately available.
According to sources, the recruitment matter is also pending before the Dera Ismail Khan bench of the Peshawar High Court.
Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2026
