PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government amended the provincial Civil Servants Appointment Rules to introduce a special job quota for the children or widows of government employees killed in terrorist incidents.
The amendment, notified by the Establishment Department, allows direct recruitment of one child of a martyred civil servant to government posts. In cases where the child is underage, the widow will be eligible for appointment. If the martyred employee had more than one widow, preference will be given to the elder widow.
Introduced under Section 26 of the KP Civil Servants Act, 1973, and following directives from the Chief Minister, the new Rule 10 (3A) applies to Provincial cadre posts in BPS-3 to BPS-11 and District cadre posts in BPS-3 to BPS-12, provided the candidate meets the required qualifications.
Appointments will be made against existing vacancies, with eligible candidates potentially placed in the highest pay scale they qualify for. However, the special quota does not apply to positions filled through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission.
The provincial government described the measure as immediate financial support and recognition of the sacrifices made by civil servants who lost their lives to terrorism.
Over 5.9 Million Pakistanis Have No Jobs
The rate of unemployment in Pakistan is on the rise, with 31 per cent, or over 5.9 million people, having no jobs.
The unemployment rate was 4.5m in 2020-21 and reached 5.9m in 2024-25, proof of mounting challenges in the country’s labour market.
The rise in rate of jobless people was observed across all age groups and both genders over the past four years, showing a broad-based deterioration in labour market conditions, according to a government report released by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.
The unemployment rate also showed an upward trend across all age groups. For the prime age group of 15-24 years, it was estimated at 12.6pc in 2024-25, up from 11.1pc in 2020-21.
Among individuals aged 15-29, the rate rose to 11.5pc from 10.3pc, reflecting growing joblessness among the youth. Overall, the average unemployment rate increased to 6.9pc, compared to 6.3pc in the previous labour force survey.
Among males, the unemployment rate climbed from 5.5pc to 5.9pc, while for females it increased more sharply from 8.9pc to 9.7pc. In rural areas, unemployment rose from 5.8pc to 6.3pc, and in urban areas, it edged up from 7.3pc to 8pc.
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