PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prison department on Wednesday failed to satisfy a provincial assembly panel about the recent termination of 796 warders.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly special committee on the appointment of warders in jails met here to look into the appointment of 796 employees, who were terminated shortly after recruitment, said an official statement.

MPA Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli chaired the meeting, which was attended by MPAs Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, Mehmood Jan, Arbab Akbar Hayat, Zarin Gul and Sardar Hussain Babak along with senior officials of the prison department.

The statement said the department concerned contended that appointments were made in view of the existing rules but it couldn’t satisfy the committee that on what grounds the appointments were canceled hurriedly. The issue about the alleged irregularities in the appointment of warders was taken up in the provincial assembly during the ongoing session.

The treasury and opposition benches protested the alleged irregularities in the appointment process and forced the government to cancel all those appointments.

The lawmakers accused adviser to the chief minister on prisons Malik Mohammad Qasim of violating procedures and rules in the appointment of warders and giving preference to people from his own constituency for the appointments. Speaker Asad Qaisar later formed a special committee to probe the matter. The department concerned immediately terminated those appointees, who challenged the move in the PHC.

PTI MPA Mehmood Jan told Dawn that the province had been divided into three circles for appointments and the government had fixed a quota for each circle.

He said Peshawar circle didn’t get due share in those appointments.

The MPA said Peshawar circle had 591 seats but only 300 warders were appointed to them. On the other hand, 269 people were appointed from Dera Ismail Khan circle while its own share was 211. Karak, the hometown of Malik Qasim, lies in DI Khan circle.

The statement said the committee directed the department to produce during the next meeting to be held on April 2 the constituency wise list of candidates with qualifications and addresses, list of those declared successful, their qualifications and addresses as well as rules under which appointments were made.—Bureau Report