PHC worried about future of education in K-P

Justice Ijaz Anwar of the Peshawar High Court has said that the provincial government might sell university lands to pay employees' salaries, but feared what the future held for the state of education in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

"If the land is sold, what will be left? And if this land is needed for other university departments in the future, will the institute buy property at high prices?" he asked. The PHC judge urged the government to adopt a comprehensive policy to run universities effectively instead of selling their land.

Justice Ijaz Ahmad Sabi said if the provincial government does not pay the employees' pensions and claims they have no money, it means they have surrendered. "What solution will be found for this?"

The honourable bench made these remarks during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Professor Anwar Khan and more than 100 other professors and staff of the Agricultural University Peshawar regarding pension benefits and the lack of annual increments.

The court was informed by the additional advocate general that the Finance Department raised objections to the summary sent by the Higher Education Department, stating that the issue should be placed before the cabinet because the government does not have the funds, and Rs1 billion rupees cannot be released in the current situation.

The petitioners' lawyer, Bilal Kakakzai, argued that the petitioners are mainly professors, superintendents, assistants, and retired officials from the AUP. He said that a significant period had passed, but pensioners were yet to receive their lumpsum payments.

Justice Ijaz Anwar suggested to the professors present in court that universities need to introduce reforms to address this issue. Petitioner Anwar Khan admitted that varsities were facing a severe crisis, but if the government wishes, reforms can be introduced to empower them

The additional advocate general, meanwhile, said that Finance Department's objections to the summary sent by the Higher Education Department had now been resolved. "The summary will be sent again and placed before the cabinet, as the Finance Department has stated that such decisions cannot be made by it alone," he said. The budget has already been approved, and this additional grant cannot be released without the cabinet's approval.

The court summoned the K-P higher education secretary and ordered the government to provide details of the summary placed before the cabinet.