CM urged to save varsities from economic collapse

PESHAWAR: The severe financial crisis of public universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has prompted an urgent appeal by senior academics and retired professors and officers of universities to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to take immediate steps to overcome the situation.

At a joint press conference in Peshawar, members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Coordination Council, comprising former vice chancellors, senior professors, and retired administrative staff, warned that most public universities in the province were struggling to pay salaries and pensions due to an acute shortage of funds.

The press conference was addressed by Prof Dr Noor Mohammad, Prof Dr Ihsan Ali, Prof Dr Arbab Khan Afridi, Prof Dr Abdur Rauf, and Prof Dr Noor Jehan.They said a formal letter outlining their demands has been sent to the chief minister, who is also the chancellor of the public universities.

According to the letter, the financial crisis had created deep unrest among university employees and pensioners, many of whom have not received their commutation and other dues dating back to 2019.

The retired employees expressed disappointment over the continuous delays in pension disbursements and described the situation as degrading for those who spent decades in public service. They argued that referring to pensions as a financial “liability” is disrespectful.

The council emphasized that public universities in other provinces are receiving regular financial support and that KP should not be treated differently.They questioned why universities alone were facing such neglect, while other government departments such as health, police and civil administration were not experiencing similar delays in salary payments.

The academicians reminded the government that, in light of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the province now has to fund higher education.With the federal government already having announced that it will not finance KP universities in the next fiscal year, the professors said the burden rested entirely with the provincial administration to allocate sufficient funds in the upcoming budget.

One of the most pressing demands made by the retired professors was the establishment of a Provincial Higher Education Commission (HEC) managed by independent education experts. The speakers argued that such a body is essential for resolving the sector’s financial, administrative and academic challenges permanently.

They also warned that the continued neglect of historic institutions like the University of Peshawar, which has produced generations of professionals now serving in key national roles, would have a lasting negative impact on the province’s future.

“We are not begging,” Dr Ihsan Ali said. “We are simply demanding what we rightfully owe after a lifetime of service,” he added. To build public support and escalate the issue, the Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) has announced an Educational Jirga to be held on May 15.The jirga will be participated in by teachers, civil society representatives and students to push for urgent reforms and financial rescue measures.