FAPUASA for incorporating salary increase in recurring grant in budget

Islamabad:Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA) has urged the Federal Government Especially Ministry of Finance to incorporate any increase in salaries and pensions of the serving and retired faculty members, researchers and other staff into the recurring grans of public-sector universities in the forthcoming budget of Fiscal 2025-26.

Answering a question from The News after an on-line last meeting of Executive Council of FAPUASA, 2024-25 session, held here Wednesday, its Vice President Dr Mazhar Iqbal said that after the 2019 Budget, not a single penny was increased in the recurring grants of universities despite many raises in salaries and pensions in the last four years. He said that universities are forced to increase enrolment, raise fees and not fill the vacancies after death or retirement of staff to save the money for paying increase in salaries.

It may be mentioned that Quaid-i-Azam University was closed for winter vacations first time in history twice to save money on transport and electricity bills. It also was forced to get Rs30 million loan from a private bank last year and pay the consequent interests on it because Higher Education Commission did not release the tranche in time. Still, QAU has not paid last year’s salaries increase for the months of July and August.

In a statement, the FAPUASA Executive Council expressed satisfaction over federal cabinet's decision to restore tax rebate for the teachers and researchers last month. It urged Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to issue notification immediately for the restoration of the tax rebate.

The Executive Council voiced deep concern over the precarious financial situation facing public sector universities nationwide.