ISLAMABAD: The new meeting of FAPUASA Executive Council will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
The meeting was chaired by President Dr. Amjad Abbas Magsi, while Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Uzair was chaired.
The emergency meeting was called to discuss the federal government’s recent announcement that it had withdrawn funding from the province’s universities.
The participants weighed in on the seriousness of the decision and unanimously rejected it because of the harmful impact on the Higher Education sector, which has suffered badly due to government indifference. The council decided to observe Black Friday on Thursday, May 30, 2024 in all universities across the country to protest the decision of the Federal Government.
The ASA was instructed to hold a meeting and bring together all interested parties. The council decided to sit in Islamabad next week for legal rights.
As a representative of the academic community in all universities in Pakistan, the President and General Secretary of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) strongly condemned the federal government’s unilateral decision to cut the budget of provincial universities. This decision is not only harmful, but also beyond the constitutional authority of the federal government. Any decision regarding the budget of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) must be placed before the meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) as stipulated in the constitution.
The higher education budget is a critical issue that affects the entire nation. Before reducing ECK’s budget, the government should allocate funds according to the province’s shares. The federal government’s decision to cut the EU budget will lead to the destruction of universities in the provinces, many of which are already experiencing severe financial difficulties.
FAPUASA Pakistan, along with its provincial chapters, have raised their voices and organized protests through mainstream media, video messages and letters to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Despite these efforts, the government has shown a lack of seriousness in addressing the plight of our universities. It should be remembered that universities play an important role in the economic development of the country. Damaging this industry will have long-term adverse effects on the development and prosperity of our nation. FAPUASA demands that the government immediately withdraw its decision on the EU budget. Additionally, the government is required to increase the higher education budget to Rs 500 billion in the upcoming federal budget. Failure to reverse the decision will lead to the closure of universities across the country as many institutions will not be able to pay salaries and pensions.
In Pakistan, the federal government’s budget cuts for higher education are a major concern, especially for provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan, which have yet to establish a provincial higher education commission (HEC). Without such an institution, the province lacks the governance and strategic oversight needed to mitigate the impact of funding cuts. In addition, these institutions can support temporary support from the federal HEC to ensure that educational standards and development projects continue to improve research standards and grant efforts.
FAPUASA hopes that the government will reverse this unfortunate decision and ensure that all constitutional documents are followed before making decisions that affect the university’s budget. The future of our higher education system and hence the future of Pakistan depends on it.
