University of Peshawar teachers announce boycott of online classes, exams

PESHAWAR:The decision was taken at the online meeting of the executive body of Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) with its president Prof Dr Fazle Nasir in the chair. The decisions taken at the meeting were circulated to the media through a press release of the association as well as in a video message of Dr Fazle Nasir.

The meeting also decided that a token protest sit-in would be staged outside the PUTA Hall for two hours daily till acceptance of their demands. Dr Fazle Nasir said that various teaching and administrative positions had been advertised in the UoP in 2018, but due to the unjustifiable ban imposed by the chancellor on recruitments, promotions and renewal of contracts no progress could be made in the process.

He urged the government to immediately lift the ban and ensure smooth functioning of the University of Peshawar - the largest and oldest general university of the province.

The University of Peshawar launched online education a month ago due to closure of the institution in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. The university is supposed to complete its academic year by the mid of August next. But the boycott would certainly affect the academic and other functioning of the university and the timely completion of academic session would not be possible, said Ali Imran, spokesman for the university.

The university administration has also urged the provincial government to immediately release the Rs150 million grant-in-aid to the institution. The amount had already been promised for running the routine affairs of the university.

They alleged that tose at the helm of affairs have been busy in appeasing blue-eyed people only. They felt concrete and transparent steps are not being taken to ensure smooth and effective functioning of the universities.