LAHORE: On the appeal of Punjab University Academic Staff Association protest was held in all campuses of Punjab University. Teachers boycotted classes on Thursday and demonstrated outside the Vice Chancellor’s office for hours. The demonstration was attended by a large number of faculty, ASA, Senate and Syndicate members, and heads of various departments.
Speaking on the occasion, ASA President Dr Azhar Naeem, Secretary Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi, Syndicate members Dr Sardar Asghar Iqbal, Dr Muhammad Islam said that legitimate demands of teachers have been pending for a long time. They strongly condemned the behaviour of the Vice Chancellor with the elected representatives of the community and said that he is constantly refusing to accept the very legitimate and legal demands of the teachers.
Elected representatives of teachers have repeatedly conveyed their demands to the Vice-Chancellor in various peaceful ways over the past several months. Every time the Vice Chancellor made promises which never came true. Moreover, his attitude towards various representatives of teachers is insulting. Elected ASA also demanded that the decisions of the Senate and the Syndicate be implemented in their true spirit. During this time, many methods of peaceful protest were adopted but University administration didn’t pay heed to teachers’ demands.
At the previous General Body meeting, ASA had set out a protest strategy. Yesterday, a black day was observed in all campuses of Punjab University and teachers taught by wearing black bandages. But the administration adopted a dictatorial approach and tried to thwart today’s class boycott at ASA’s appeal. A notification was issued yesterday which is unprecedented in the history of Punjab University. Despite this, teachers in Jhelum, Gujranwala, Old Campus New Campus today boycotted classes and recorded a peaceful protest outside the Vice Chancellor’s office.
The elected representatives of teachers also demanded an audit of University Budget and all appointments made during the last four years.
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association Punjab President Prof Dr Azhar Naeem, General Secretary Prof Dr Hafiz M Tahir, Vice President Dr Ahtisham Ali and Secretary PUASA Dr Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi shows serious concerns about the chronic issues of Punjab University faculty. They said with sheer disappointment that the long-standing issues have not been yet solved by the administration, now teaching faculty is protesting in scorching heat for their legitimate rights of Ante-Date Appointments, House Requisition, Utility Allowance and DRA for 20-22.
Meanwhile spokesperson of the Punjab University Khuram Shehzad said that teachers of Punjab University from all the campuses have overwhelmingly rejected the protest call given by Academic Staff Association to boycott classes, considering the move based on “hidden” and “personal” agenda and all the activities of the university were held as per routine.
In a press statement, PU spokesman said that PU teachers are conscious and have understood the negative politics of ASA under the prevailing scenario. The spokesman said that apparently the PUASA was demanding some benefits, most of which have already been resolved by PU administration at its end, but behind the scene they have some other ulterior motives and the administration understood who was controlling ASA’s strings.
Reacting over the apparent demands of ASA, the spokesman said that it was the PU VC who talked to the Punjab Governor and other high ups to provide disparity reduction allowance to not only PU but all the universities in Punjab. Due to PU VC’s efforts, Punjab Cabinet approved DRA for the university employees across the province. He said that PU VC in the meeting of Senate categorically announced that the DRA would be provided to the employees from June 2021 and forwarded meeting minutes for approval of the governor in time.
The spokesman said that ASA’s press release was a pack of lies. The spokesman said that the PU ASA wanted to bring back the political environment of PU in which they could both victimize others and promote only their colleagues like they did in the past.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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