PU teachers boycott classes over cut in budget

Punjab University Academic Staff Association on Wednesday boycotted classes for one hour and took out a protest rally to protest against 50 per cent cut in the budget of higher education.

A large number of PU teachers, led by PUASA President Professor Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry and Secretary Javed Sami participated in the rally. The teachers were wearing black bands on their arms and holding placards demanding government to allocate budget to higher education as per demand and restore income tax rebate to teachers to 75 percent. The teachers took out rally from Al Raazi Hall to Faisal Auditorium.

Addressing the participants, Professor Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry said that university teachers rejected model universities act and it must not be implemented. He said that no country could progress without spending money on higher education sector. He said that PTI government had promised during elections that it would give top priority to the education. However, he said, instead of increasing the budget, the government reduced the budget of higher education by 50 percent, which is highly condemnable.

He said that HEC chairman had failed to present universities' case before the government due to which teachers were observing black day. Professor Dr Mumtaz Anwar said that the teachers also rejected reduction in tax rebate to the teachers and demanded the government to restore 75 percent tax rebate. He demanded the government increase M.Phil/PhD allowance as per the notification of Sindh government. He said that the retirement age of teachers must be increased to 65 years. ASA Secretary Javed Sami said that the government must fulfill the promise they made at the time of elections. He said that the teachers had been compelled to launch protest movement against the government.