FCC questions MA graduate’s appointment as sweeper, directs KP to offer suitable job

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday questioned the appointment of an MA-qualified individual as a sweeper in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s education department, terming it a reflection of systemic failure and directing the provincial government to provide the employee with a more suitable position.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi heard an appeal against a Peshawar High Court (PHC) judgment regarding the appointment of the postgraduate as a sweeper.

During the hearing, Justice Rizvi remarked, “Will an MA graduate now work as a sweeper?” He observed that removing the employee after 10 years of service would not be appropriate and instructed the provincial government to offer the complainant another suitable job.

When the additional advocate general informed the bench that no sweeper vacancies were currently available in the province, Justice Rizvi responded, “Has KP become so clean that it no longer needs sweepers?” before adding that he had heard similar claims about another province.

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The district education officer told the court that the employee’s responsibilities included sweeping and cleaning the premises.

In response, Justice Rizvi asked, “Did no one feel ashamed watching an MA graduate sweep the floors?”

He termed the appointment of a postgraduate as a sweeper a matter of serious concern, saying it reflected the shortcomings of the system, and remarked sarcastically that “the system deserves congratulations” for assigning such duties to an MA-qualified individual.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Federal Constitutional Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the Peshawar High Court’s ruling.