QUETTA: Teachers and other employees of the Balochistan Univer­sity took out a protest procession against the university administration on Monday over non-payment of salaries for three mon­ths.

All faculty members, academic staff and other employees gathered at the university’s main campus on the call of the university’s joint action committee and took out the protest rally.

The participants of the procession carried placards and banners in­­scribed with their demands, and marched on Sariab Road, Zahghoon Road and other roads and chanted slogans against the government and the Higher Education Commi­ssion.

They staged a sit-in at the Hockey Chowk, in front of the Commissioner Office, Jinnah Road, Manan Chowk and reached Quetta Press Club where the University Academic Association Presi­­dent, Dr Kalee­mullah, Fareed Achakzai and other leaders spoke at length about non-payment of salaries and the university’s financial crisis.

Balochistan Univer­sity staff unpaid for three months

They said all employees of the university were facing serious financial difficulties due to nonpayment of salaries and pensions.

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The speakers regretted that in the holy month of Ramazan, the employees have been forced by the university administration to stage protest and demand the payment of their salaries and pensions.

The protesters dema­nded the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and deans of the university to convince the provincial and federal governments that the university’s financial crisis could not be resolved by providing limited funds.

They said the vice chancellor should consult elected representatives of teachers, officers and employees on administrative issues.

The committee an­­nounced that an agitation camp would be set up in front of the University of Balochistan’s main gate on Tuesday (today), at 11am and a rally would be held on Sariab Road.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024