ISLAMABAD: Teachers on Wednesday voiced their concerns over what they claimed was inadequate budget allocation for the higher education sectors, stating that this allocation is insufficient to meet the rapidly increasing financial needs of the higher education sector.

For fiscal year 2025-26, the federal government earmarked Rs66.4 billion recurring budget (non-development expenditure including salaries and pensions) for the higher education sector against the demand of Rs84.6 billion put up by the Higher Education Commission.

Sources in HEC stated that regulatory body had submitted a budget proposal of Rs84.6 billion under its funding portfolio as recurring grant; however, the government allocated Rs66.4 billion.

For the upcoming fiscal year, the government imposed a cut on the development budget, as for financial year 2025-26, an allocation of Rs39.4 billion has been made for development projects against the previous year’s allocation of Rs65 billion.

On the other hand, universities had been demanding an increase in recurring budget for the last many years as many universities, including top-ranked Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), are struggling to pay salaries and pensions.

“Many universities in the country, particularly KP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, are struggling to pay salaries and pensions, and this allocation of Rs66.4 billion is inadequate.

“QAU has so far failed to pay the ceiling grant this month. If the budget is not increased, then universities will face a crisis-like situation,” said Muhammad Jadoon Khan, Information Secretary of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA).

Speaking to Dawn, he said that HEC had demanded around Rs85 billion, but the government earmarked Rs66.4 billion for the financial year 2025-26.

Meanwhile, a joint statement issued by FAPUASA’s President Prof Mazhar Iqbal (President), Vice President Prof Akhtiar Ali Ghumro, and General Secretary Fareed Achakzai on Wednesday stated: “FAPUASA has strongly rejected the Federal Budget 2025-26.”

They expressed serious concerns over the continued freezing of the HEC recurring grant, stating that in 201,8 the recurring grant was Rs65 billion.

Through a statement, they also stated that government has been neglecting Tenure Track System (TTS) faculty salaries, which have not been revised since 2021.

“Since 2018, the number of universities and student enrollments has increased significantly, while inflation, utility charges, and operational expenditures have continued to rise sharply. Despite these realities, the government has failed to provide the additional funding required to sustain universities, placing severe financial strain on institutions across the country,” read the statement.

“FAPUASA strongly urges the government to reconsider and revise the Federal Budget 2025-26 and adequately address these critical issues in the Finance Bill. Failure to act will severely undermine Pakistan’s higher education system and negatively impact the country’s long-term socio-economic development,” it said.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2025