LAHORE: The Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) on Tuesday demanded reversal of the Syndicate decision of abolishing the backdated benefits for teachers that were being granted since 1991.

The association has called its meeting at the University Club to discuss the withdrawal of the backdate benefits. ASA President Mahboob Hussain, Secretary Sardar Asghar Iqbal and others were present in the meeting.

The ASA members observed that the Syndicate decision had created anxiety among the teachers. They lamented that the university administration was responsible for delaying the Selection Board meeting and it had caused huge loss to the teachers.

The council demanded that the appointment orders should be issued according to its previous practice as per the Punjab University Syndicate’s decision in 1991.

The issue surfaced during the last Syndicate meeting held on Aug 16 that decided to stop the backdated benefits being provided to the teachers in appointments against faculty positions.

One of the participants in the meeting told Dawn that Higher Education Department (HED) Secretary Khalid Saleem, a member of the Syndicate, had pointed out why the teachers were being given the backdated benefits. The Syndicate was informed that the decision for providing benefits to the teachers was made in 1991 and it was duly acknowledged by the chancellor.

However, the Syndicate later decided not to give the backdated benefits without completing legal formalities. The university administration recently scrapped such benefits for the teachers who were recently promoted on different faculty positions.

The ASA president said the recently appointed teachers were not given the backdated benefits and it was causing financial loss to them. He said the ASA would take every possible step to protect the rights of the teachers.

He said the council had decided to convene a general body meeting of the teachers to decide the next line of action and the meeting would be held on Sept 11 at Al Raazi Hall undergraduate block.

PU Registrar Prof Khalid Khan told Dawn that the administration had stopped the backdated benefits on the recommendation of the last syndicate meeting. He said the administration would first get legal opinion over the matter and later send it to get approval from the Senate and the chancellor.

He said earlier the backdated benefits were being given to the teachers without approval of the chancellor.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2018