ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Friday stressed that existing salary disparities among faculty members serving under the Tenure Track System (TTS) at universities must be addressed through a clear and objective formula.
He called for a permanent, transparent and sustainable mechanism to ensure fair compensation and retain Pakistan’s top academic talent.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the salary structure and disparities faced by TTS faculty members, the planning minister called for a permanent mechanism to ensure fair compensation and retain the country’s top academic talent.
State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Planning Commission’s Member for Science and Technology, nominated focal persons from universities and other relevant stakeholders attended the meeting.
Mr Iqbal stressed that existing salary disparities must be addressed through a clear and objective formula, ensuring appropriate differentiation in the pay structures of professors, associate professors and assistant professors.
Emphasising the importance of retaining highly qualified faculty, the minister said it was deeply concerning that many talented Pakistani professors had left the country for better opportunities abroad.
He stressed that the country’s investment in educating and training its academic talent must be protected through fair remuneration and a sustainable compensation structure.
The minister also directed that the proposed salary adjustment framework, including existing disparities, inflation-based adjustments and a forward-looking Consumer Price Index (CPI)-linked mechanism, be supported by accurate data and clearly established financial implications.
He cautioned the HEC against presenting incomplete or inaccurate information, stating that if it emerged that the forum had been misled, he would hold the commission accountable.
The meeting discussed the need to resolve existing TTS salary disparities while establishing a predictable and transparent framework for future revisions.
It is relevant to note that the All Pakistan Tenure Track Faculty Association (APTTA), representing university teachers, has been urging the government to expedite the review of the revised TTS salary notification issued by the Finance Division in July 2026 and reconvene the consultative process involving all relevant stakeholders.
There are two categories of faculty members in public-sector universities: those serving under the Basic Pay Scale (BPS) and those working under the TTS.
“APTTA welcomed the federal cabinet’s recognition of the longstanding issue of TTS faculty salaries and the revision of salary scales with effect from July 1, 2026.
However, the association maintains that the notified scales do not fully implement the prime minister’s decision of September 20, 2021, which stipulated that a 35pc differential between BPS and TTS faculty salaries should henceforth be maintained,” read a statement recently issued by the APTTA.
It said the Senate Standing Committee had also asked the Ministry of Finance to review the 2026 notification.
Meanwhile, the planning minister and the state minister for finance discussed the issue in detail and agreed that discrepancies existed in the salary structure of TTS faculty members. They assured the stakeholders that the matter would be resolved soon.
Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2026
