Latest news with #DisparityReductionAllowance
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PUASA holds meeting to address critical funding & policy challenges
LAHORE: The Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) held an emergency meeting of its Executive Council on Tuesday at the University Club Committee Room to address critical funding and policy challenges facing higher education in Pakistan. Chaired by PUASA President Prof Dr Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi, the council expressed grave concerns over the inadequate financial support for public universities and the potential withdrawal of tax benefits for educators. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution urging the Punjab government to immediately revise its allocation of recurring grants for public sector universities, citing severe under funding that threatens academic and research activities. The council highlighted that despite soaring inflation and expanding institutional needs, the federal government has frozen the higher education recurring grant at Rs 65 billion since 2018. According to IMF data, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has surged by 98 percent between the years 2017–18 and 2024–25, meaning the real value of the grant has effectively halved. Adjusted for inflation, the sector should have received at least Rs 130 billion this year to maintain its operational capacity. A stark disparity was also noted in provincial allocations. While Sindh has earmarked Rs 42 billion in recurring grants for its 32 public universities, Punjab has allocated only Rs 18 billion for its 51 institutions. This gap becomes even more pronounced when comparing flagship universities: Punjab University, with over 54,000 students, has been granted a mere Rs 780 million, whereas the University of Karachi, with around 45,000 students, received Rs 3.5 billion. Such inequities, PUASA argued, hinder Punjab's ability to sustain quality education and research. Dr Magsi emphasized that recurring grants are vital for covering essential operational and research expenses, separate from development funding. The current allocations, he warned, jeopardize the functioning of universities and their global competitiveness. Punjab University, ranked among the top 5.2 percent of universities worldwide by the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR), risks losing its standing without sustained investment in faculty, infrastructure, and student support systems. The association also condemned the federal government's proposal to revoke the 25 percent income tax exemption for teachers and researchers, cautioning that this would stifle innovation and knowledge production—key drivers of national progress. Furthermore, PUASA criticized the Punjab government for failing to provide the Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) to university and government employees, mirroring federal neglect and exacerbating financial strain on educators amid rising living costs. 'University teachers are among the nation's most educated and skilled assets,' Dr Magsi stated. 'Their economic marginalization not only weakens the academic environment but also erodes Pakistan's intellectual and cultural growth.' PUASA called on both federal and provincial authorities to urgently revise higher education budgets, retain tax incentives for educators, implement the DRA in Punjab, and adopt a forward-looking approach to align with global advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence and technology-driven education. The association warned that without immediate corrective measures, Pakistan's higher education sector faces irreversible decline, undermining the country's future development. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Federal Budget: FAPUASA Punjab expresses disappointment
LAHORE: The Punjab Chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has strongly condemned the federal government's recently announced salary increase for government employees in the 2025-26 budget, branding it "insufficient" in the face of soaring inflation. The association issued an urgent call for immediate measures to support university teachers whose socio-economic conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Leading the criticism, Dr. Muhammad Islam, General Secretary of the Academic Staff Association (ASA) at Punjab University, and Dr. Riaz Hussain Khan Sindhar, President of the ASA at Islamia University Bahawalpur, expressed profound disappointment with the federal budget unveiled on June 10th. They emphasized that the announced pay raise fails to address the severe financial hardship experienced by government servants, particularly those in the higher education sector. "The teachers are the nation-builders, and in all civilized societies, they are treated with dignity and care," stated Dr. Muhammad Islam in a press release issued Thursday. He lamented that despite this vital role, the federal budget once again neglected to include any special incentive or relief package specifically for university teachers, leaving them vulnerable to rampant inflation. The academic leaders voiced serious concerns extending beyond faculty salaries. They highlighted the static recurring grant allocated to public sector universities, which remains unchanged from the previous fiscal year. Dr. Islam and Dr. Sindhar warned that this financial stagnation will critically exacerbate the already precarious economic situation faced by universities and their employees. They argued that this lack of funding will severely hamper essential academic and research activities, directly contradicting the government's stated commitment to building a knowledge-based economy, which they termed "hollow rhetoric." A specific demand was raised regarding the frozen salaries of faculty members under the Tenure Track System (TTS), which have reportedly remained unchanged for many years. The FAPUASA Punjab leadership demanded an immediate increase in their pay. Furthermore, Dr. Islam issued a direct demand to the federal government for immediate clarification. He insisted that the announced 30% Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) must be extended to university teachers without any discrimination or procedural delays. "The pay disparity between university faculty and their counterparts in other government departments has reached alarming levels," Dr. Islam stated. He recalled the past "injustice" of university teachers being excluded from the DRA and issued a stark warning: "A repeat of that injustice will compel university teachers to take to the streets in protest." Additionally, he demanded that the recently restored 25% tax rebate be explicitly extended to the coming years. Looking towards the provincial level, FAPUASA Punjab called upon the Punjab government to take bold action in its upcoming budget, scheduled for announcement on June 13, 2025. The association urged the provincial leadership to ensure that the salary increase for Punjab government employees surpasses the percentage offered by the federal government. Crucially, they demanded that the 30% DRA be granted equitably to all provincial employees, explicitly including university teachers within Punjab. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
