Candidate who committed suicide had low marks: official

PESHAWAR: An official on Monday said the overall marks of a candidate, who reportedly committed suicide out of frustration as he could not be selected for a job at the Prisons Department, were below the required criteria for recruitment.

There were reports that Jibran, a candidate who had appeared in the test for recruitment in the Prisons Department, allegedly committed suicide after he failed to get the job. The police were, however, investigating to find the exact nature of the death since the deceased had received two bullets in the head. “There were reports on social media that one candidate, who appeared in the test committed suicide. Jibran had secured 85 marks in the screening test but his marks of educational qualifications were low so his overall position got affected,” Inspector General Prisons Khalid Abbas told a press conference.

The offcial added that marks in the screening test was not the only criteria for recruitment. He added that the candidate was also called for interview but those having better marks got the job. The recruitment in the department had been under criticism on social media for the last many days. In some videos, candidates were seen staging protests.

The IG Prisons said that they were introducing reforms in jails. He said the skill training facility, modern mess system and new system for visitors in jails were being introduced. Khalid Abbas said that they were also conducting inquiry into the incidents of alleged torture in jails. There were inquiries being conducted after reports of suicide in three different prisons. The IG said there were 3,000 prisoners in the Central Prison Peshawar.

He said the prisoners included four foreigners and 13 minority members. He said the highest number of terrorists were languishing in the Peshawar jail. The IG Prisons said special separate rooms for transgender people had been constructed in three jails while rehabilitation centres were being set up for drug addicts.