KARACHI, June 23: The Federation of All-Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations has expressed concern over federal finance ministry’s decision to cut recurring grants amounting to Rs6 billion for public sector local universities and to meet their shortfall through increase in the fee structure.

In a statement, FAPUASA President Sarwar Nasim said that the recent move of the finance ministry was aimed at depriving poor people of the right to acquire higher education at a nominal fee.

He said that it would result in decrease in enrolment of students in public sector universities and urged Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to personally look into the matter and restore the original grants of varsities, otherwise, academic standard would be affected.—PPI