KARACHI: The financial crisis gripping the University of Karachi for the past several years is now hitting the employees hard as the varsity, the largest public sector institution of higher education in the province, is facing a deficit of Rs1.3 billion, it has emerged.

Sources said that over half of the Rs1.3bn constituted dues of both teaching and non-teaching staff.

The dues, they said, were mostly bills related to evening classes, remunerations, semester bills and retired employees’ commutation payments.

Teachers and the non-teaching staff had not been paid for the evening classes for the last two to three years, the sources said, adding that the crisis had also severely affected the quality of academic activities, resulting in the complete suspension of dean research grants for the last three years.

Sindh’s largest varsity facing deficit of Rs1.3bn; Kuts seeks bailout package to provide relief to teaching, non-teaching staff

The situation was discussed in detail at a recent meeting of the executive council of Karachi University Teachers’ Society (Kuts) where members sought the intervention of the chief minister in the matter.

In a statement, the society expressed serious concern over the university administration’s persistent failure in tackling the financial crisis and non-payment of their dues, while seeking a bailout package for the university.

“The volatile regional situation and the increase in the prices of petroleum products have badly affected every segment of society, including teachers who are looking up to payments of their dues and allowances as a means to ease off the financial pressure they are currently experiencing,” the statement reads.

It further adds that it’s a matter of grave concern that in-service and retired teachers are deprived of their long-standing dues at a time when there is an increase in the prices of basic commodities on a daily basis.

“We appeal to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take notice of KU staff’s economic hardships and provide immediate relief through a bailout package and later by increasing the university’s annual grant,” it says.

This financial support, it points out, is critical to pay off the dues as well as to make the much-needed hiring of teachers in different departments.

The society demanded that the KU vice chancellor and the university’s director of finance must play their role in providing relief to employees.

Speaking to Dawn, Kuts President Syed Ghufran Alam said that the staff was suffering because of maladministration.

“It’s the primary responsibility of the administration to bring the funds and bridge the gap. The deficit has been increasing over the years, mainly because the rate of increase in liabilities is much higher than the rate of payments,” he explained, adding that the employees’ dues were around Rs738 million.

The teachers, he pointed out, had raised their concerns with the administration multiple times but to no avail, adding that a general body meeting of Kuts had been called on April 21 to discuss these pressing issues.

Highlighting grievances of the non-teaching staff, Zahid Hussain Baloch heading the KU Employees Welfare Association said that they had not received payment for the evening programme for the last two years while promotions were held up for a long time.

“We have not been paid leave encashment for five years despite the fact that it was approved by the university syndicate,” he said, adding that the non-teaching staff was also deprived of house ceiling allowance, though it’s being given in other universities.

KU Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Iraqi was not available for comment.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2026