PESHAWAR
The Federation of all Pakistan University Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter has decided to stage a peaceful protest in support of their lawful demands outside Bani Gala Islamabad, residence of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan, on July 21.
According to a press release issued by the FAPUASA, all universities employees federation, and all universities officers association and both teaching and non-teaching staff working in different cadres will also participate in the protest.
The General Body of the public sector universities association met on July 7 and unanimously resolved to fight against the ‘sever financial and administrative crisis’ threats looming over the public sector universities in KP.
“Since long the public sector universities in KP are faced with severe financial and administrative crisis and the situation has presently become unmanageable which require immediate attention.
However, the provincial government of KP seems completely oblivious or deliberately complacent in comprehending the growing resentment in both the employees and the students of these institutions,” in the press release it stated.
The representatives of the public sector universities said that employees have decided to register a peaceful protest in support of their demands at Bani Gala Islamabad and it will be the last day of the ultimate given to the provincial government for the amicable resolution of pending disputes by all employees of the provincial public sector universities.
It added that “After holding a series of unavailing peaceful protests inside and outside the campus, the employees have collectively decided to reroute their struggle & register a peaceful protest in support of their legitimate demands at Bani Gala Islamabad on July 21, 2022.” It is pertinent to mention here that the Executive Body Members of the representative associations have submitted an application seeking permission of deputy commissioner Islamabad.
The FAPUASA has also demanded adequate security for holding protest at Bani Gala scheduled to be held on July 21.
A senior professor at University of Malakand told this scribe on the condition of anonymity that teaching activities at the public sector universities would not be halted by the protest scheduled by the association.
He said that a specific number of employees, teaching and non-teaching staff would participate at the protest.
The overall aim of the protest outside Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence is to press Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in KP to accept the demands of public sector universities, adding that if demands were not met protest would be turned into a sit-in.
