ISLAMABAD: The faculty of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) held a sit-in on Monday against the university’s management for not acceding to their demands.
The sit in was held outside the university’s entrance along Kashmir Highway, under the banner of the Academic Staff Association (ASA).
The protesters have demanded that the IIUI give faculty members their due representation in the university’s Board of Governors, as is the case in other universities, and there should be a consolidated advertisement to fill vacant posts.
The ASA is also demanding that the vice president of the university should be appointed in accordance with a decision taken by the Board of Governors.
The association has demanded the restoration of two faculty members who were terminated by the university last year. Demands also include the implementation of recommendations by a committee headed by Dr Ahmed Shuja, a professor.
The faculty are also demanding restoration of the old course load, the Masters allowance, ad hoc promotion of PhD degree holders to the post of assistant professor and promotions through a formula. A large number of faculty members and representatives of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) participated in the sit-in.
ASA members of Quaid-i-Azam University and Comsats University also participated in the sit-in to show solidarity with the IIUI ASA.
FAPUASA President Dr Suhail Yousaf said that the IIUI faculty has endured victimisation, nepotism and corruption in the university.
He also added that the administration fails to keep its promises for the betterment of academic and administrative affairs on campus which is why the faculty had no other option but to stage a sit-in.
He said that if the administration does not listen to the demands of teachers then FAPUASA is bound to stand by its colleagues in IIUI. Dr Yousaf said that a boycott of IIUI universities at the national level is on the cards if protesters’ demands are not met.
He said that if IIUI administration does not pay heed to legal demands, the central FAPUASA will hold a general body meeting and press conference at the location of the sit-in on Dec 2. IIUI ASA President Dr Zafar Iqbal asked the president, prime minister and minister for federal education to look into matters of IIUI.
He appealed to higher-ups not to leave the university to incompetent people who have destroyed this institution at both academic and administrative levels.
Dr Iqbal said that the ASA has long been pursuing its agenda with the administration, but higher authorities seem unmoved and are not ready to accede to legitimate demands of the teaching community.
The sit in by ASA is a step towards inviting the government to review IIUI’s administrative progress over the last few years, which has affected academic life in campus very badly.
He said that the ASA sent its demands to the university administration regarding the faculty’s basic needs in a letter addressed to the rector and president of IIUI. The ASA will announce its future strategy in case their demands are not met during the two day sit in, he said.
Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2019
