Financial straits: AUST sacks 42 daily-wage employees

Decision taken after institute failed to receive funds from HEC

ABBOTTABAD: At least 42 daily-wage employees have been sacked by the administration of Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (Aust).

Officials privy to the development told The Express Tribune on Saturday over 100 employees were hired on a daily wage basis during the tenure of Aust Project Director Abdul Ghafoor Baig. These employees included drivers, security guards and lab assistants, among others.

“Aust has yet to achieve the status of full-fledged university from the Higher Education Commission (HEC),” one of the officials said. “As a result, it has yet to draw financial support from the commission like other universities do.”

According to the official, there have been delays in fulfilling the requirements to accord university status to Aust.

“This includes delays in increasing the number of academics at the institute and building new facilities,” he said. The official added the HEC has not started financially supporting Aust. “This has exposed the university administration to countless difficulties,” he added.

However, the administration – led by Vice Chancellor Dr Iftikhar Ahmed – has recognised the gravity of the situation and decided to sack daily-wage employees.

As per a letter issued from the office of the deputy registrar, at least 42 employees from Aust have been terminated from their services. The sacked employees were part of various internal departments of Aust.

“More daily-wage employees are likely to be sacked within the next couple of weeks,” a senior officer at AUST confirmed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2016.