Protest against BBSU VC continues

Demands include release of medical, house sealing allowances

KARACHI: Holding banners and shouting slogans against the vice-chancellor (VC) of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University (BBSU) Lyari, Prof Dr Akhtar Baloch, more than 250 employees continued their protest for the third consecutive day.

The teachers, administration and lower staff were protesting against Dr Baloch for not releasing their medical and house sealing (rent) allowances. The employees held a demonstration in front of the university on Thursday, after protesting at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.



"Our house sealing allowance has been approved since July 2015 but we have not received a single rupee from the university yet," said senior clerk and general secretary of the employees' welfare association Ghulam Shabbir.

"We have medical allowances for us and our parents but the VC has not approved it for the last two years and when we ask him about it he does not respond to our queries," said clerk-cum-typist Javeria Batool Qureshi.

Other than issues of allowances, the protesters were also demanding appointment letters. "I was on a probation period and instead of giving me a confirmation letter when my probation ended, I received a letter for an extension in my probation period," said one of the protesters.

"When everyone is protesting, from the finance department to admin staff and from security guards to sweepers, then there must be some serious problems," said BBSU public relations officer Waqas Laghari, who was also among the protesters.

Meanwhile, Dr Baloch told The Express Tribune that the matter of allowances and promotions will be resolved after approval of the syndicate. Currently, there is no syndicate.

Explaining the issue of appointments, the VC said that the probation period was extended of those employees who were not progressing in their work and whose performance was not up to the mark. Dr Baloch recalled only one employee whose probation has been extended.

After meeting a team from Chief Minister House to resolve the ongoing issues in the varsity, the VC said that they have reached a solution to start house sealing from next month, while the issue of appointments and medical allowances will be taken up with the syndicate whenever it is formed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2016.