Public universities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) face severe financial challenges that could jeopardize their ability to operate effectively and support their students.
University leaders, including vice-chancellors and the state chancellor, appealed to the state government for financial aid to remedy this issue.
They warned that without immediate support, 3,500 university staff members could lose their jobs, and 30,000 students could see their education disrupted.
In a detailed letter to the prime minister, the president of AJK highlighted the critical nature of the situation, noting that the universities have not received an increase in their annual grant from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in five years. During this period, inflation and rising costs have put immense pressure on university budgets.
Salaries for government employees have increased significantly, but the universities have not received corresponding budget increases to manage these higher costs.
The financial burden has also been exacerbated by increased pension obligations, with no additional government funding to cover these expenses.
University officials have presented detailed financial documents and a formal request for funding to the prime minister and other relevant authorities.
They seek an annual grant aligning AJK universities with their counterparts in other provinces, which receive more substantial financial support from their respective provincial governments.
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