FAPUASA Urges Provinces to Allocate 50 Billion for Universities

News Desk 

Islamabad: The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has issued letters to the Chief Ministers of all provinces today (Sunday).

These letters address the pressing issue of recent budget cuts by the federal government and stress the urgent need for each province to allocate at least 50 billion rupees in their respective budgets for universities.

FAPUASA also highlighted the urgent necessity of establishing Provincial Higher Education Commissions (HECs) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The leadership commended the Sindh government for proactively establishing a Provincial HEC and consistently providing funds following the 18th Amendment. The Punjab government was also appreciated for setting up its Provincial HEC.

However, FAPUASA urged the Chief Minister of Sindh to increase the proposed budget for universities from 30 billion rupees to at least 50 billion rupees. Similarly, all other Chief Ministers were requested to allocate 50 billion rupees each for their respective universities.

It is worth noting that last week, FAPUASA had already sent letters to the President, Prime Minister, and Finance Minister, urging them to allocate at least 500 billion rupees in the federal budget for universities.

According to the Constitution of Pakistan, specifically Article 160, the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is designed to ensure a fair distribution of financial resources between the federal and provincial governments.

The NFC Award of 2010, which remains in effect until a new award is announced, emphasized the equitable distribution of funds to promote provincial autonomy and the financial independence of provinces, including their educational institutions.

Furthermore, the Council of Common Interests (CCI), established under Article 153 of the Constitution, serves as a critical body for coordinating policies and addressing disputes between the federation and the provinces. 

The decisions made in the CCI meetings are binding on both the federal and provincial governments. The CCI’s recent deliberations reaffirmed the commitment to uphold the principles of financial equity and support for provincial institutions, including universities.

In a recent meeting, FAPUASA executives decided to call for a protest on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. 

This protest will involve banners and posters displayed across universities in Pakistan from Monday onwards, and demonstrations in front of press clubs nationwide on Wednesday. The objective is to urge provincial governments to fulfill their responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution of Pakistan. 

Therefore, the faculty from all universities will gather to record their protest in front of press clubs across Pakistan at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

FAPUASA urges all stakeholders to recognize the urgency of this matter and to take immediate action to support higher education in Pakistan. The future of our nation depends on the strength and stability of our educational institutions.