ISLAMABAD: The government has initiated steps to address salary disparities among university faculty under the Tenure Track System (TTS), with Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal calling for a permanent mechanism to ensure fair, transparent and inflation-linked salary adjustments.
Ahsan Iqbal on Friday chaired a high-level meeting on the salary structure and disparities faced by faculty members under the Tenure Track System (TTS), calling for a permanent, transparent and sustainable mechanism to ensure fair compensation and retain Pakistan’s top academic talent.
State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiyani, senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Member Science and Technology of the Planning Commission, nominated focal person from universities and other relevant stakeholders attended the meeting.
The Federal Minister for Planning stressed that the 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. He called for an independent mechanism for future salary adjustments to avoid recurring discrepancies and repeated government-level deliberations.
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.
He also directed that the proposed salary adjustment framework, including the existing disparities, inflation-based adjustment and a forward-looking 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 the existing TTS salary disparities while establishing a predictable and transparent framework for future revisions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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