Fapuasa to share ‘open letter to Benazir’ with top PPP leaders today

The Sindh chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) will observe Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Day on her death anniversary today, said a representative on Monday.

Fapuasa’s Sindh secretary general, Dr Shakeel Farooqi, said that as was decided by a recently held meeting of the association in Tando Jam, all public-sector universities in Sindh would observe Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Day to mark her death anniversary.

He said that “an open letter to Shaheed Rani” would be distributed in Sindhi and Urdu on all campuses and copies would be sent to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, co-chairman of the party and former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Dr Farooqi claimed that the letter was self-explanatory, saying that the association would also display banners in each campus. He said Fapuasa units from each university in the province had shared problems and challenges faced by the universities and higher education due to the “vapidity and ignorance shown by the Sindh government, which are eventually pushing Sindh backwards”.

“The Fapuasa has also announced the start of a series of protests throughout Sindh after December 27.” He added that leaders of the association had termed actions taken by the provincial government regarding universities unfair and mala fide.

Dr Farooqi criticised the temporary and ad hoc arrangements the Sindh government was making for the universities, saying that such ad hoc arrangements served no purpose other than allowing exploitation, corruption, nepotism and other social evils. “The acting, retired and incompetent vice chancellors and pro vice chancellors are very harmful for the universities.”