PESHAWAR: Despite lifting ban on fresh recruitments in public sector universities by the higher education department, the teachers of different universities in Peshawar remained defiant and boycotted classes on Thursday.

On the call of Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), the teaching staff of various universities boycotted their classes and arranged protest demonstration on the campus of University of Peshawar.

Teachers have vowed to continue their two-hour class boycott in all universities to exert pressure on the government to accept their demands.

Block road against extension in tenures of Islamia College, Gomal VCs

The department concerned issued a notification that ban on recruitments had been lifted and the universities were allowed to make appointments in accordance with their requirements and keeping in view financial positions.

The FAPUASA officer-bearers held a general body meeting at Peshawar University Teachers Association’s Hall that was chaired by its president Dr Sartaj Alam. The teachers held a march and blocked Jamrud Road for some time.

The protesting teachers demanded of the government to lift ban on recruitments in universities which they believed was illegal. They termed the ban imposed by the HED as blatant interference in the affairs of universities, which were autonomous institutions.

The teachers’ representatives demanded of the government to take notice of the illegal appointments and extensions to vice-chancellors, especially those of Islamia College University and Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, and withdraw the decisions forthwith.

They demanded of the government to take notice of appointments made in various universities by the vice-chancellors during the last 10 years and constitute a judicial commission to probe the matter thoroughly and right action could be taken.

They expressed concerns over prevailing financial crisis in different universities. They asked the government to take notice of the situation. They threatened to continue strike and class boycott till acceptance of their demands.

Meanwhile, the administration of the University of Peshawar urged the teaching staff to end their boycott and their problems would be resolved through talks.

A press statement issued by the university administration said that the university had already convened meetings of the university’s syndicate and academic council wherein all the pressing problems of the teaching fraternity would be resolved.

Separately, students of the university also staged protest rally against their teachers. The students held a protest rally outside Puta Hall under the aegis of Islami Jamiat Talaba. The rally was addressed by campus president of the student organisation, Awal Sher Khan.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2019