Daily Times

Employees of different universities based in Larkana staged a protest against University administrations for acceptance of their demands here on Wednesday. The protest was called by All Sindh Universities Employees Federation, who gathered at Jinnah Bagh.

Led by Noor Muhammad Shaikh, Noor Hulio, Siraj Bhutto, Khalid Siyal, Wazir Soomro and others the protestors alleged that universities’ employees are treated as orphans and thattheir just demands are not being accepted.

They said Vice Chancellors treat the respective universities as their personal kingdoms, who keep on drawing legal and illegal benefits, and keep their henchmen satisfied. They said even though all are equal in the eyes of the law, but alleged that the rules and regulations in their universities are only meant for the low paid employees.

They said if a BPS-22 officer is infected with malaria then he is given two lac rupees, but on the contrary two thousand rupees are given to a low scale employee for the same ailment. They said medical facilities are not paid timely due to which their family members suffer.

They further claimed that recruitments are made on personal likes and dislikes, and on political grounds, but the sons of low scale employees are denied jobs. They further alleged that allowances and promotions have been withheld by the universities’ authority which is simple cruelty. They accused Vice Chancellor, Quaid-e-Awam Engineering University, Nawabshah, for cancelling the registration of their employees’ union by using his influence, and demanded his removal through a probe of his alleged misdeeds.

They accused the VC of constant harassment. They said VCs of Shaikh Ayaz University, Dow University and Liyari’s Shaheed Benazir University are also not resolving issues faced by the employees. They said VCs posted on ad hoc basis should be removed. They demanded membership in syndicates of all the universities and resolution of their problems immediately including son quota, retired quota, promotion, Haj, Umrah, medical, leave encashment and utility allowances or else they warned that employees of all universities will gather and hold a massive protest on March 24, in front of Karachi Press Club to press the government to accept their demands.

Meanwhile, 45th Syndicate meeting of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) was held Wednesday under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr. Aneela Attaur Rahman.

In the meeting, services of five contract employees were regularized who were working since 2012. Fee structure was also introduced for different colleges and institutions, who want affiliation with the university which will be strictly implemented, claimed a statement issued by university’s media coordinator Abdul Samad Bhatti. On the other hand, Prof. Ghulam Shabir Shaikh was appointed as the Head of Pathology Department, Prof. Amanullah Abbasi as HOD Urology Department, Dr. Lal Chand, HOD for Neurology Department, whereas approval was granted for posting Abdul Rauf Khaskheli as Director, Pharmacy. In the meeting, approval was also granted for appointing 45 faculty members who include professors, associate professors and assistant professors, three statistical officers and registrar of the university. All of them were selected by the selection board on 24th February.