Varsity teachers decry abolition of 25pc tax rebate

LAHORE:On the call of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA), a black day was observed on Thursday in the universities across the country against the abolition of 25 percent income tax rebate given to teachers and researchers, the new pension rules and other issues.

Workers of academic staff/teachers’ associations, officers' associations and employees' unions of public sector universities, including Punjab University, GC University Lahore, UET Lahore, Karachi University, Balochistan University, Peshawar University, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad, COMSATS Islamabad, Sindh Madressatul Islam University, Islamia University Bahawalpur, UAF Peshawar, Islamia College University Peshawar, University of Swabi, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Shah Abdul Latif University Sindh, Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, NED University, Abdul Wali Khan University, International Islamic University Islamabad and University of Okara held protest rallies and raised slogans in favour of their demands.

President FAPUASA Pakistan Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi led a rally at the PU while secretary general Dr M Uzair led the protest demonstration at Peshawar University, Peshawar. Likewise, the protest at Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan was led by President FAPUASA Punjab Dr Khawar Nawazish.

Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi said the government was forcing teachers to leave their professional responsibilities and demonstrate on roads. “We will go to any extent to achieve our legitimate rights,” he said and maintained that the Finance Minister had assured during the budget speech in the Assembly session that a 25 percent income tax rebate for teachers and researchers would be upheld, but then he backed down from his decision.

Similarly, the government needed to understand that the business model of public sector universities was not that they would generate their income, but that these universities run on government grants. It is because of this grant that the fees of students are lower than private universities. If the government does not give grants to these universities or reduce them, then the door of education will be closed to poor students.

Dr Khawar Nawazish said a large number of highly educated teachers and researchers from our universities were moving abroad, and the main reason for this was the government's indifferent behaviour towards them.