ISLAMABAD: Vice-chancellors (VCs) of a number of universities have warned faculty members of their respective institutions to stay away from the planned teachers’ protest sit-in outside the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday (today).

The directives were issued by the heads of various universities after their online meeting with the HEC chairman on Monday, alleged the All Public Universities Basic Pay Scale Teachers Association (APUBTA) which has given a call to the teachers to participate in the sit-in outside the HEC building against ‘non-issuance of notifications regarding their service structure and promotion policy’.

Dawn has learnt that the heads of various universities, including International Islamic University Islamabad, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Hazara University, Mansehra, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar, Rawalpindi Women University and Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, have directed the faculty members not to take part in any protest and ensure their attendance in their universities.

“The HEC chairman [Dr Mukhtar Ahmed] has resorted to repressive means in order to suppress the voices of teachers,” says a statement issued by the APUBTA.

It claimed that only a day before the sit-in, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed convened an online emergency meeting of the VCs of public sector universities on Monday and reportedly talked harshly with them and instructed them to stop by every possible way their faculty members from participating in the protest.

Following the directives from the VCs, the university administrations have issued notifications warning teachers that they will face disciplinary action, if they participate in the protest sit-in

Meanwhile, APUBTA’s Core Committee in its online emergency meeting on Monday evening deplored the conduct and role of the HEC chairman, regretting that instead of addressing the genuine problems of more than 50,000 BPS faculty members from 150 public sector universities, he is resorting to “repressive means” to suppress the voice of the “most educated, civilised and rights-conscious segment of society.”

It also accused the HEC chairman of attempting to divide teachers’ associations through various tactics.

“The APUBTA leadership avowed that they would not indulge in any kind of tussle with the VCs and administrations of their universities. However, they will not stop raising their voice for their rights, stating that Article 16 of the Constitution guarantees the right of association and peaceful assembly, and no one could snatch this right,” says the press release.

The protesting teachers reaffirmed their commitment to their cause of attaining promotion rights for BPS teachers of the universities.

It further said the APUBTA reserved all legal rights to sue those involved in harassment at work against the teaching community and denying them their fundamental rights.

The APUBTA announced that the planned protest and sit-in would proceed as per the previous announcement. It requested all the BPS teachers of public sector universities to fully participate in the protest or sit-in until the issuance of a notification for the promotion policy for the university teachers.

Sources in the HEC confirmed that an online meeting was held between the chairman and VCs over the issue of the protest. However, they said, no harsh words were exchanged. They said the meeting discussed that instead of taking to the streets, if the BPS teachers were facing any issue, they should take it up with the concerned authorities.

The HEC spokesperson could not be reached for comments on the allegations levelled by the APUBTA in its press release.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2023