PHC takes notice of financial crisis in public sector universities

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has taken notice of the financial crises in the public sector universities and directed the government and relevant departments to address the issue at the earliest.

PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, while hearing a case about the financial crises in KP universities, remarked that some of these institutions were on the verge of closure and even teachers were not receiving salaries.

He asked the government and departments concerned as to why it was happening and who would find a solution to the situation. The chief justice directed the government and the relevant departments to address the issues of these institutions at the earliest for the sake of future generations.

He questioned an official of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Shaista Sohail as to why teachers in KP universities could not even get salaries and what mechanism had been developed to end the crises.

The official told the court that the HEC provided grants to the universities as per their share. The official added that the University of Engineering and Technology had been given Rs 670 million of its 830 million share so far while the remaining amount would be provided once received from the government.

The official said that paying different allowances to over 800 staff was one of the major reasons for the financial crises in these institutions. University of Peshawar Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Idrees submitted to the court that he had assumed the charge of office recently. He said the main issue was the pension of the retired employees and the institutions would have a surplus amount if the government paid the pension from the exchequer.

Secretary Higher Education Farah Hamid, Secretary Finance Kamran Afzal and other officials also appeared before the court. Some officials told the court that extra staff had been hired in these institutions in the last several years which was also a reason for the financial burden.

The chief justice directed the government, universities admin, the HEC and others concerned to sit together and find a solution so that these institutions work properly and function effectively for future generations.

He remarked that universities own expensive properties which could be utilized more effectively. The chief justice remarked that public sector universities were a hope for the poor students as the private institutions were charging high fees.