KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan took notice on Wednesday of the protesting teachers and non-teaching staff of the University of Karachi (KU), which continued on the second day.
Raising concerns regarding issues of unpaid salaries, leave encashment and research grants, the teachers called off all the academic activities after the Karachi University Teacher’s Society’s (Kuts) general body meeting on Tuesday.
Khan, who is also the university chancellor, called on a meeting with varsity’s vice-chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser and representatives of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Sindh, at Governor House.
The meeting was presided over by the governor’s education adviser, Syed Wajahat Ali. Khan also ordered the representatives to make sure that there should be no delay in payment of salaries to employees.
The reasons were discussed for late payments of salaries and it was decided that HEC is not responsible for salaries of staff members. Dr Qaiser informed that he has been asking KU’s finance department to release the salaries since the last one week. KU’s finance-director Tariq Kaleem was instructed not to repeat such practices again.
Kaleem also presented the financial status of the university in the meeting and was asked to make a detailed report on the financial woes of the varsity. The report will be submitted to the governor and the chairperson of the HEC.
Meanwhile, Dr Qaiser also asked HEC’s chairperson for a one-time special grant to help the university.
KUTS’ version
Meanwhile, Kuts and Employers Welfare Association which presented their demands on Tuesday is firm on their decision of boycotting the academic activities today (Thursday) as well.
Kuts president Dr Shakeel Farooqui told The Express Tribune that they will have general body meeting today (Thursday) to decide their next step as their protest was not only about unpaid salaries but also for all the other financial issues which include leave encashment and research grants.
“We will boycott classes [on Thursday] and decide in the general body what to do next to make the administration to fulfill our demands,” he said. On the meeting called by the governor, Farooqui said that the meeting was not needed until there is an announcement in the increase of grant from HEC or the government.
Original news : http://tribune.com.pk/story/1155287/taking-action-governor-orders-release-salaries-ku-staff/