Islamabad, (UNI) The Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS), a teachers’ body representing 12 public sector universities of the Sindh province, announced that they will observe ‘black day’ for two days till Thursday over forced cancellation of selection boards.
The black day was scheduled to condemn “recent intimidation on behalf of the secretary-universities who forced the Karachi University vice chancellor to cancel the proceedings of selection boards”, reports Dawn.
Representatives of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa), Sindh chapter, and Kuts were speaking at a press conference held on the KU campus, where academic activities had been completely suspended for a week now over forced cancellation of the selection boards.
“We condemn the secretary’s threatening behaviour and express complete solidarity with KU teachers. We have also decided to suspend all academic activities across Sindh on Thursday (tomorrow) in protest if teachers’ meeting with minister Ismail Rahu scheduled for Wednesday (today) remains inconclusive,” said Prof Nek Mohammad Shaikh of Fapuasa.
The teachers unanimously demanded that the government immediately remove the incumbent secretary of the universities and boards and appoint an official “who is well aware of rules and regulations”, reports Dawn.
They also urged the government to withdraw the recently circulated letter (by the secretary) directing universities to frame service rules and allow institutions of higher learning to hold their selection boards under the mechanism defined in the Act.
According to the report, the public sector universities in the province are governed by the 2018 Act and their respective codes already had procedures in place for promotion and appointment; there was no question of drafting service rules. UNI
