Bailout package for universities demanded

Rawalpindi: The annual meeting and elections of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Central were held at the Centre of Advanced Studies in Health & Technology, Rawalpindi.

The meeting was presided over by the President of FAPUASA, Professor Dr Jameel Ahmed Chitrali. The meeting was attended by the presidents and general secretaries of the academic staff association of universities across the country, including the vice president of FAPUASA, Prof Dr Kalimullah Barreech.

In the meeting along with the presidents of the provincial chapters, the central president of FAPUASA presented their annual performance report. After various questions and suggestions, the performance report was approved.

In the second phase of the meeting, elections were held for the central and provincial chapters of FAPUASA for the year 2023.

According to the results of the elections, Prof. Dr. Kaleemullah Barreech of the University of Balochistan is the central president of FAPUASA, while Prof. Dr. Akhtiar Ali Ghumro of Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Sindh is the central general secretary and Dr. Farrukh Arsalan Siddiqui of Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan is the central vice president, while the University of Agriculture Peshawar Dr. Bashir Ahmed and Dr. Abdul Mubeen of the University of Engineering Taxila were elected members of the Central Executive Council. Prof. Farid Khan Achakzai the President of the Balochistan Chapter, Prof. Nauman Kakar for the General Secretary, and Ms. Nilofar Jameel were elected members of the Executive Council. For Sindh Chapter Dr. Fahad Nazir Khoso, President, Dr. Baqir Ali Zardari General Secretary, and Dr. Kamran Zakaria member executive council were elected. For the Punjab Chapter, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azhar Naeem was elected President, Prof. Dr. Rizwanullah General Secretary, and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal were elected members of the Executive Council. For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter, Dr. Feroze Shah was elected as President, Dr. Zafar Hayat Khan as General Secretary and Dr. Farman Khan as member Executive Council.

The newly elected leadership expressed its gratitude for the trust and confidence shown by the members of FAPUASA Central and pledged to work tirelessly for the betterment of the academic staff community in Pakistan. They also reiterated their commitment to upholding the values and principles of FAPUASA and to working towards the organization's objectives. The outgoing leadership was appreciated for their tireless efforts and hard work during their tenure, and they wished success in their future endeavors.

In the meeting the members discussed the financial and administrative problems of the public universities across the country, especially the University of Balochistan and BUTUMS, and also the financial hardships faced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa universities, especially Peshawar University and budget issues of almost all the universities of Sindh, and the central and provincial governments were demanded to increase the budget of the universities in their annual budget according to the current inflation. It was decided that a strong protest movement will be launched by FIPWASA across the country. In the meeting, the monthly salary of the teachers, officers and employees of Balochistan University and Biotoms has not yet been paid to all the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially Peshawar University and Sindh University.

Expressing regret over the financial and administrative crisis faced by the universities, they demanded the central and provincial governments and HEC immediately provide a bailout package, otherwise, protests will be held across the country. Expressing regret over the financial and administrative crisis faced by the universities, members demanded the central and provincial governments and HEC to immediately provide a bailout package to public sector universities, otherwise, protests will be held across the country.

The members also demanded the release of a new service structure and promotion policy for BPS teachers and the improvement of the salary and pension policy of TTS teachers, and to simplify the complex procedure of research journal recognition procedure, and the acceptance of articles of Z category journals, as per the June 2020 HEC notification should for promotion.