UoP contractual employees demand regularisation

Protesters disperse after VC assures them of a positive resolution

PESHAWAR: Weeks after students of the varsity staged a sit-in against a hike in tuition fees, hundreds of employees of the University of Peshawar on Monday protested against the varsity’s administration, demanding that their jobs should be regularised without any further delay.

Taking a cue from those protesting students, around 500 University of Peshawar (UoP) class-III and IV employees boycotted their duties and gathered outside varsity administration.

The protest disrupted the routine activities of students and faculty members.

The protesters held up placards and banners inscribed with their demands and shouted slogans against the university administration and the provincial government.

They criticised the varsity and the government for failing to fulfil their promises to the employees.

“Around 500 employees who were hired between 2012-13 are still on contract and they fear for their job security,” explained Shahab Khan one of the protesters.

He added that the previous vice chancellor of UoP Rasul Jan had twice assured them that they would be regularised. But he had moved on and they were still on contract.

Shahab added that the new vice chancellor too used a similar delaying tactic without taking any tangible steps for regularising their jobs.

The protesters threatened the varsity’s administration that they will lock down the varsity if their genuine demands were not fulfilled immediately.

Meanwhile, UoP Media Officer Ali Imran told The Express Tribune that the UoP Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Abid Ali met with the protesters and assured them that he would try and find a positive solution to their predicament.

He said that after the meeting between representatives of the protesters and the university’s authorities, the protesters dispersed without any further agitation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2017.