ISLAMABAD: Operations at Comsats University Islamabad (CUI) are halted again due to ongoing strikes by the lower staff and teaching faculty of the university.

No classes have been conducted at the campus during the last 10 days. There are around 40,000 students enrolled at the university, who have been taking classes online.

Allegations of mismanagement resulted into protest demonstrations by employees of all seven campuses, forcing the university administration to go for online classes from Feb 22. The University Staff Welfare Association (USWA) and Academic Staff Association (ASA) have been demanding that 25 percent Disparity Reduction (DRA) should be awarded to them as announced by the federal government.

Protesting employees have been blaming the CUI rector, treasurer and registrar for mismanagement and demanding immediate removal of the treasurer Mohammad Azam, who completed his tenure.

A senior employee of CUI toldDawnthat that instead of resolving the issue of employees, the rector’s office in order to prevent the protest from getting bigger, on Feb 22 issued a notification to shift all classes online, which is a matter of concern.

While the faculty, senior non-academic staff and lower staff associations are at loggerheads in a blame game, students have been saying that they will start their own protest against online teaching. Students have been demanding an immediate end to online classes.

According to a member of the ASA, the senior management of the university needs immediate reviewing by the chancellor as the all-important post of registrar has been vacant for over ten years while the treasurer’s tenure expired over a year ago but he is still occupying the post.

When contacted, an administrative officer of the university said that the issue is going to be resolved and the university will open classes from Monday. He said that the university already announced 10pc increase in adhoc relief and today the syndicate approved a further 10pc increase.

Similarly, he said, other issues of employees will also be resolved, adding that the university issued a circular on Thursday, informing employees that the university will approach HEC and the government for tenability of employees for 40pc DRA. The circular stated that all employees are required to resume their responsibilities from Friday, to restart all university operations, failing which disciplinary action will be taken against them.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2022