Widespread concern as UoP salaries stall

PUTA warns of boycotting classes, sit-in if dues not paid in next 24 hours

PESHAWAR:

The University of Peshawar (UoP) employees have endured a two-month salary drought, igniting widespread discontent and unrest. On Thursday, the Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) expressed grave concern over the persistent non-payment of salaries to teaching staff, issuing a warning of potential class boycotts within the next 24 hours.

Highlighting that Class III and Class IV employees have already been on strike for two months due to unpaid salaries, a PUTA official emphasized that the teaching staff, mindful of students’ interests, had refrained from participating in the strike. However, they stressed their inability to remain idle in such challenging circumstances.

The official attributed the financial strain to the actions of the former vice chancellor, Dr. Muhammad Idrees, characterizing the impact on the university’s finances as unprecedented in its 70-year history.

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PUTA issued a statement condemning the perceived nonchalant approach of the university administration, calling for urgent measures to secure salary payments within the next 24 hours. Additionally, PUTA announced plans for a sit-in outside the Governor House if their demands were not promptly fulfilled.

Despite the enormous significance of higher education in the country’s socioeconomic development, the majority of public sector universities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) are currently facing a financial crisis, which adversely affected the process of learning and research studies, besides negatively impacting students’ enrolment in MS, MPhil, and PhD programmes in the province.

Out of the total 34 public sector universities, including 24 general and 10 specialised in engineering, technology, agriculture, medical, animal husbandry, and management sciences, seven public sector universities, including UET Peshawar, Gomal University DI Khan, Agriculture University Peshawar, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Peshawar, and University of Shangla, were facing a significant financial crunch due to pension liabilities and depleting budget balances.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2023.