MULTAN - The Academic Staff Association (ASA) of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) has strongly condemned a major cut in the Higher Education budget by the federal government and demanded immediate restoration of the funds.
Addressing a news conference here at Multan Press Club on Tuesday, ASA President Dr Abdul Quddoos Sohaib and General Secretary Farrukh Arsalan Siddiqui said that although the Punjab government has taken charge of universities after 18th Amendment, it has so far failed to provide needed funds to these institutions. They pointed out that the universities were faced with a serious financial crisis and many institutions were about to shut down because of dearth of funds. They told the journalists that research projects got halted because of non-availability of funds while the fate of foreign scholarship winner students also hanged in the air. They warned the government to restore the funds forthwith otherwise the faculty members and students of all universities of the country would be forced to give strike call.
They also drew the attention of journalists towards victimization of teachers on political grounds.
“Many teachers are refused renewal of their contracts because of political differences or personal liking or disliking. The varsity administration is promoting political culture in educational institution which is condemnable,” they added.