Financial crisis at Peshawar varsity takes new turn

PESHAWAR: The issue of the financial crisis in the University of Peshawar has taken a new turn as the provincial government through Higher Education Department has asked the university administration to share the data pertaining to employees and pensioners of the institution within three days.

The university administration, on the other hand, has convened an emergency meeting of the Syndicates to find out ways for overcoming the situation. The meeting would be held on February 3, said the spokesman for the university, Ali Imran, while talking to The News.

The HED in its response to the letter of vice-chancellor of the university dated January 27, has asked the university administration to share total salary budget along with details of posts, allowances authorised by the university to its employees, recruitments, creation of posts and upgradation in the university.

The letter also asked the university to share financial statements, utilities, salary/non-salary spending and pensions for the last three years.

The style and language of the HED’s response to the vice-chancellor show that the Chief Minister’s Secretariat wants to mount pressure on the university administration instead of issuing them the bailout package, a senior official of the university told The News.

The vice-chancellor in the letter to the chief minister had requested him to announce a bailout package amounting to Rs 200 million for the payment of salaries and pensions for the month of January. The vice-chancellor also demanded a monthly grant worth Rs 150 million for meeting the recurring expenses of the university.

The University of Peshawar is the largest and oldest seat of higher studies in the province. Thousands of students are receiving education here right from nursery until PhD level in its nearly 50 academic departments, a number of colleges and schools.