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Business Recorder
7 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
Business Recorder
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Public sector universities in Punjab: Concerns raised over escalating financial crisis
LAHORE: An important online meeting of the Federation of All Pakistan University Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) (Punjab Chapter) was convened Wednesday. The session was presided over by Dr. Muhammad Islam and was moderated by the General Secretary, Dr. Riaz Hussain Khan Sindhar. The meeting was attended by the representatives from across the province, including Prof. Dr. Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi (President, Punjab University Academic Staff Association), Dr. Iram Sultana (Executive Member and President, Government College University Faisalabad), Dr. Muhammad Badr Habib (General Secretary, Academic Staff Association, Islamia University Bahawalpur), and Dr. Abdul Rehman (General Secretary). At the outset, participants extended congratulations to the newly elected leadership of the Punjab Chapter of FAPUASA. The participants unanimously voiced serious concerns regarding the escalating financial crisis faced by public sector universities in Punjab and demanded immediate intervention by the provincial and federal governments. The participants strongly urged the Punjab Government to allocate a minimum of Rs. 50 billion to public universities, given that Punjab is the largest province both in population and in the number of higher education institutions. They emphasized that the current financial allocations are grossly inadequate to meet the growing demands of an expanding academic and research ecosystem. It was noted with concern that HEC grants have remained stagnant over the past several years, while universities have experienced substantial increases in faculty strength, student enrolment, and academic activities. These developments have significantly expanded institutional responsibilities, necessitating proportionate funding. The meeting underscored that higher education is not a self-sustaining sector and cannot thrive without sustained government patronage. Investment in universities is not only a prerequisite for national development but also a strategic imperative for national security and global competitiveness. Participants noted that in recent times, Pakistan has demonstrated that through knowledge, innovation, and research, it can overcome formidable challenges and assert itself with dignity. In this context, a forceful appeal was also made to the federal government to substantially increase funding for higher education in the upcoming federal budget. The association stressed that this demand reflects a national responsibility, an obligation to safeguard the country's intellectual and developmental future. Furthermore, the meeting called for an immediate resolution of the long-pending tax rebate issue for university teachers and researchers. The participants demanded that the proposed legislation currently pending before the National Assembly be passed without delay and that the tax rebate for academic professionals be guaranteed in the years to come. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
