Appointments in World Bank-funded KP project spark controversy

PESHAWAR: Allegations of nepotism and irregularities have surfaced in the recruitment process of the World Bank-funded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Investment and Institutional Support Project (KP-RIISP), with claims that key positions were secretly awarded to the relatives of influential bureaucrats, bypassing merit and due process. The controversy has raised serious concerns about transparency in hiring practices under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Planning and Development Department.

In January 2024, KP-RIISP advertised multiple positions, but months later, when some applicants inquired about the status of recruitment, they were informed that the vacancies had already been filled. The department claimed that interviews had been conducted, but many highly qualified candidates insisted they were never shortlisted or contacted. “We were waiting for our interview, but in the end, we came to know that the positions were given to powerful individuals’ relatives,” an affected candidate told The News. It later emerged that several positions had allegedly been awarded to the sons and close associates of well-connected bureaucrats, despite their failure to meet the advertised criteria.

The issue drew further scrutiny when a World Bank delegation visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and found that the provincial government had hired extra staff beyond the project’s requirements, creating an unnecessary financial burden. The delegation also identified major irregularities in the project, leading to the termination of all staff, including the project director.

In November 2024, the Planning and Development Department re-advertised the positions, this time assigning a government institution to conduct a written test to ensure merit-based selection.

However, after the test, qualified candidates were not called for interviews, and it was later revealed that the positions had once again been filled by individuals with strong connections inside the department. “We secured good marks in the test, but we were never contacted for the next stage. In the end, we found out that the positions had already been decided in favor of bureaucrats’ relatives,” another candidate said.

The frustrated applicants have questioned the integrity of the hiring process, asking why the government advertises positions if the selections are predetermined. “If the jobs are already reserved for certain people before the advertisement, then why waste public time and money?” one individual remarked.

The allegations have raised serious concerns about governance in donor-funded projects and the credibility of recruitment practices within the Planning and Development Department.

When reached, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry told The News that he would order an inquiry into the selection process and share the findings with the media.