University Academic Staff Across Pakistan Goes on Strike

The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) announced on Wednesday that teaching activities across universities in the province would be suspended from Thursday (today) in protest against several government decisions, including the plan to appoint bureaucrats as vice-chancellors.

The announcement was made during a briefing at Karachi University (KU) following a general body meeting of the association.

“This protest will continue until the government reverses its controversial decisions regarding higher education. The responsibility for this disruption lies solely with the government,” said Dr. Akhtiar Ghumro, president of FAPUASA-Sindh, adding that teachers were compelled to take this step due to the lack of a positive response to their legitimate demands.

Dr. Ghumro highlighted the key concerns, including the government’s refusal to reverse the proposed changes in the criteria for vice chancellors’ appointments, which would allow bureaucrats or commissioned officers to head general universities, and its decision to hire teachers on a contractual basis.

“The autonomy of universities, their academic freedom, and educational standards will be severely undermined if universities are placed under bureaucratic control,” he said.

Supporting this stance, Dr. Mohsin Ali, president of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society, stated, “Globally, the best educational institutions thrive on autonomy. This move violates that principle. Contract-based employment will destabilize the education system, leaving teachers insecure and unable to focus on research and teaching.”

The teachers also expressed concerns about the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) interference in academic matters and the severe financial crisis facing public sector universities. They argued that the lack of resources, infrastructure, and staff has hindered research opportunities and impacted the quality of education.

Among their demands was the restoration of authority to issue non-objection certificates (NOCs) back to vice-chancellors, as the current complex process has delayed faculty participation in international conferences.

Teachers’ representatives from various institutions joined the protest, including Dr. Kamran Zakria (NED University), Dr. Arshad Memon (Mehran Engineering University and Technology), Dr. Akhtiar Gadahi (Sufi University), Mr. Asif Hussain Samo (Sindh Madressatul Islam University), Dr. Tariq Hussain Jalbani (Sindh University), and Dr. Farhat Nazir Khoso (Sindh Agricultural University).

The teachers have vowed to continue their protest until the government addresses their concerns and takes concrete steps to safeguard the autonomy and quality of higher education in the province.