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Employees of the University of Peshawar (UoP) on Monday held a protest demonstration over the non-payment of their March salaries and pensions, according to a report by Dawn.
A large number of staff members also blocked the busy Jamrud Road outside the university campus, raising slogans against the provincial government and the university administration. Because of the road blockade, motorists and commuters faced significant difficulties in the hot weather. President of the Class-III Association, Imtiaz Khan, said the historic UoP was confronting serious financial challenges, while both the administration and the provincial government were failing to take practical measures to address them, Dawn reported. He said the university had paid March salaries in instalments to lower-ranking employees. According to him, faculty members received only 40 per cent of their salaries, while retired employees had still not received their pensions. He warned that the protest would intensify if proper arrangements were not made to ensure the timely payment of salaries and pensions. Meanwhile, the Peshawar University Teachers Association has sent a letter to Chief Minister Sohail Afridi seeking financial assistance for the university. "We write to you with deep concern and a sense of urgency regarding the situation at University of Peshawar, an institution that has, for more than 75 years, shaped the lives, careers and aspirations of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," the letter stated. It further said that for generations, the university has been more than just an educational institution. It has served as a gateway to opportunity for thousands of families, a training ground for the province's teachers, civil servants, and professionals, and a quiet yet powerful contributor to the region's social and economic development. The letter noted that the university's strength has always depended not only on its legacy but also on the commitment of the people who serve it. "Today, those very people are under severe strain. Half of the salaries for March remain unpaid, and pensions for the same month have not been released at all," it stated, as cited by Dawn. According to the letter, many employees and pensioners are now struggling to cover essential household expenses, including rent, utility bills, medicines, and their children's education. Despite repeated payment delays over the past year, faculty and staff have continued fulfilling their responsibilities with patience and dignity. Classes have not been interrupted, and students have not been neglected. However, the letter stressed that this situation cannot continue indefinitely without assurance or relief. It added that public universities exist because the state invests in them, not only financially but also as a commitment to its people and future. When such institutions are unable to pay those who sustain them, it becomes more than an institutional crisis; it directly affects families throughout the province, the letter said, according to Dawn. (ANI)
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