SWABI, Dec 9: The authorities here on Monday called police to control the workers seeking jobs in Tarbela Dam fourth extension project, official sources said.

They said that a large number of workers reached the main gate of Tarbela Dam early in the morning to seek jobs in the project.

The workers got angry when security guards refused to allow them without proper checking and identification, they added.

Sources said that the job-seekers exchanged harsh words with the security guards and tried to force their way through the gate. The authorities closed the gate and called police to control the workers, they added.

However, the labourers criticised the government and alleged that they were forced to knock at the doors of elected representatives for seeking jobs instead of appointing them on merit.

They resented meddling of politicians in their appointment affairs. They alleged that the interference of political parties in the official affairs weakened the institutions.

Sources said that about 3,000 workers would be employed for execution of the project. `The appointment process has been started. Each local MNA and MPA has submitted his own list of workers and the same names have been fed in the computer by the company officials,` they added.

Sources said that about 200 workers had already been appointed but one of the officials got angry over the appointment process and told his colleagues that merit should not be violated at any cost in appointments of both skilled and unskilled workers.

Theerik-i-Insaf leader Rangaiz Khan, when contacted, said that they were under pressure because everyone wanted complete authority. `We are trying to satisfy everyone but the process is becoming complicated because more and more people are approaching us,` he added.

Sources said that security was also a major issue and the dam authorities along with the Chinese experts had chalked out a strategy to tackle it. `We know that security is a big issue. We want to cooperate with both Tarbela Dam authorities and Chinese,` said Mr Khan. Sources said that the people recommended by elected representatives of PTI and other political parties would be called one-by-one at an appropriate time for test and interview.

Sources said that skilled workers would be employed from different parts of the country. However, local politicians have demanded that the local people should be given preferred by the Chinese company, which is executing the project.

`We have no shortage of skilled labourers and they should be employed by the company as soon as possible,` said Salim Bahadar, regional director of Ghazi Barotha Taragiati Idara. He said that they rendered sacrifices for the construction of both Tarbela Dam and Ghazi Barotha project.