Recently removed employees take varsity to task

University’s new VC has sought the approval of Sindh CM on her decision to dismiss contractual staff

KARACHI:

As protests by the disgruntled recently removed employees increase, Dawood Engineering University’s new leadership has thrown the ball in the Chief Minister’s (CM) court by sending a summary to his office, asking if it was justified in removing them.

The removal of employees, which was initiated by the newly appointed Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Samreen Husssain, is drawing serious flak given the prevalent double-digit inflation, which is taking no prisoners. The summary, a copy of which is available with the Express Tribune, has sought the CM’s stamp of approval on the removal of 67 non-teaching employees, 15 researchers, and 6 teachers, whose salaries apparently set the university back some Rs 3.688 million per month.

In an interview with the Express Tribune, Dr Hussain defended her decision, stating: “The contracts of these employees were already up and since there is a ban by the government on hiring, how can the university give the now removed employees a fresh contract?” The VC further said that since the only way to circumvent the ban was to ask for the CM Sindh’s approval prior to employing new people, the administration had done just that by sending a summary to his office.

However, the protesting employees do not agree with Dr Hussain’s assessment of the situation. Many who spoke to the Express Tribune pointed out that there was no government sanctioned hiring freeze in place when they were supposed to be recruited; whereas others told the Express Tribune that the former VC Dr Faizullah Abbasi had made budgetary allocations for their salaries, hence they were not a financial burden for the university.

“We have been pushed to the brink at a time when there is massive inflation and it is hard to afford a meal a day,” they regretted in unison. Apart from being removed at a time when the economy is in dire straits, part of the reason why the protestors are charged and taking the university administration to task is that Dr Hussain, the VC has sought an increase in her salary from the CM. A move, which the protesting employees have labelled as hypocrisy, given the fact that they were removed so that the university could curtail its expenses. When asked about her desire for an increase in salary especially when the university was cutting costs, Dr Hussain told the Express Tribune that this was her right under the pay protection rules.

The pay protection rules serve to provide cover to government employees, who were making a higher amount in their previous role and are thus entitled to the same salary in a new role - a point that Dr Hussain raised with the Sindh government prior to her appointment as VC. Subsequently, the provincial government approved a salary of Rs 1,250,000 for Dr Hussain. When asked why the seven figure salary was not enough for her now, the VC replied: “there are other VCs who are taking much more. I also have to pay upwards of Rs 300,000 in taxes on the current salary.”

While it remains to be seen whether the VC will get the CM’s approval for removing the employees or an increase in pay, government sources privy to the matter told the Express Tribune that accepting or rejecting the summary regarding the employees was no easy task for the CM. If the CM were to approve the removals then it was unlikely that the VC’s request for an increase in salary would be granted, a source close to the CM disclosed to The Express Tribune.