QUETTA: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly has expressed concern over the financial crisis facing the University of Balochistan, following a review of the university’s accounts for the financial years 2019-21 and audit paras for 2021-23, as well as the ongoing protest by teachers demanding their salaries.

PAC Chairman Asghar Tareen, while presiding over a meeting of the committee, stressed that the University of Balochistan requires special attention, noting that there is a critical need to understand and address its challenges.

The meeting was attended, among others, by committee members Fazal Qadir Mando­khail, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar and University of Balochistan Vice Chancellor Zahoor Ahmed Bazai.

The meeting identified significant irregularities in both the financial and administrative matters of the university. The vice chancellor revealed that the university’s endowment fund had been misused in 2016, with unqualified individuals sent abroad for education.

Many of these individuals went missing after fleeing abroad.

The PAC chairman pointed out that, in previous administrations, vice chancellors used their final days in office to recruit hundreds of officers and employees, many of whom were their relatives. These recruits were then given protection by new vice chancellors once they took office.

The vice chancellor informed the committee that the university has to pay pension to 900 retired employees. He said an average of Rs32,000 is collected per student each semester, which he considered reasonable.

However, the increase in student admissions to colleges due to BS programs has reduced the university’s student enrollment. Additionally, the vice chancellor mentioned a reduction in the financial grant from the Higher Education Commission.

The committee asked the university to focus on generating its own income, as it is an autonomous institution. It also ordered the recovery of Rs22.87m from the university for failing to collect house rent allowance and maintenance expenses from residential employees in accordance with the rules.

Furthermore, the committee directed that strict action be taken regarding the distribution of 370 laptops in 2013-2014.

Of these, 341 laptops were distributed among students, while the remaining 29 were given to university officials, which was against the rules.

The committee ordered that the cost of these laptops be recovered from the officials, either through deductions from their salaries or pensions.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that its decisions were not being implemented and instead were being referred to the university syndicate.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024