FUUAST teachers demand academic emergency

KARACHI:

Teachers of the Abdul Haq and Gulshan-e-Iqbal campuses of the Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology (FUUAST) have announced a complete boycott of academic activities and examinations scheduled to commence from June 8, demanding immediate redressal of their longstanding grievances.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting convened by the teachers' associations of both campuses on Thursday. The meeting was held at the Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Auditorium and was attended by a large number of faculty members.

According to a joint statement issued by Abdul Haq Campus Teachers Association Secretary Iqbal Hussain and Science Campus Teachers Association Secretary Iftikhar Tahiri, participants unanimously resolved to continue the boycott of teaching and examinations until their demands are addressed by the university administration and relevant authorities.

The meeting strongly criticised the performance of Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari, terming his tenure the "most unsuccessful" in the university's history. The participants appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, who serves as the university's chancellor, and Federal Minister for Education Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the pro-chancellor, to impose an academic emergency at the university and initiate accountability of the vice chancellor's administration.

A series of resolutions were adopted during the meeting, including demands for immediate payment of all outstanding house ceiling claims of teachers and employees and withdrawal of the recently imposed 20% deduction in house ceiling payments.