HYDERABAD (APP): The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), Sindh chapter, has called a teaching boycott in all government universities in the province on Aug 31.
At a press conference at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jamshoro on Thursday, FAPUASA announced the strike call after a meeting of its constituent associations representing the government universities in Sindh.
"On August 11 in Karachi, we had given time till Aug 30 to Sindh Government to accept our demands. But as the deadline draws closer, we have realized that the government is not responding," said FAPUASA Sindh's president Prof Shahanawaz Talpur.
According to him, the FAPUASA demands amendment of the Sindh Universities Law (Amendment) Act, 2014, which had empowered the government to make appointments of the top university officials.
"We consider it an infringement of autonomy of the universities," he elaborated, adding that for the last two years the government had kept assuring FAPUASA representatives but to no effect that an amendment based on their recommendations will be made.
The FAPUASA's General Secretary Prof Shakil Farooqi complained that the government makes appointments of the Pro Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Controller Examinations, Director Finance and other top officials without seeking recommendations of the VCs and varsity syndicates.
"This sort of intervention in the varsities' affairs has become a serious concern for the academia," he said.
He said the FAPUASA demanded removal of all officers, including the Directors of Finance in Karachi University and Sindh University, who were appointed directly by Sindh government without consultation of the universities' statutory bodies.
The leave encashment for teachers and officers of Karachi University and a housing colony on the lines of similar colonies given by the government to the lawyers and journalists should be provided for the teachers, he added.
Farooqi informed that on Aug 31 FAPUASA would hold a press conference
in Karachi to inform about their future course of action.