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PESHAWAR, Aug 04 (APP):The University of Peshawar is facing a complete shutdown starting Monday, as faculty members have been forced to go on strike due to months of unpaid salaries and pensions.
Non-teaching staff have also been severely affected, with many households struggling to afford basic necessities. Pensioners have reportedly been left without their dues, adding to the growing unrest.
A Joint Action Committee (JAC) of university staff, including the teachers’ association, administrative officers, Class-III, IV, and sanitary workers, announced an indefinite strike through a press release.
The committee declared the shutdown of all administrative offices of the university from August 4 to 6 as the first phase of the strike, with the complete closure of all offices including the controller of examinations starting August 7 onward.
They demanded the immediate payment of July and August salaries and pensions, including the 10pc adhoc relief allowance and the 20pc disparity reduction allowance.
The committee further demanded payment of the remaining 50pc of salaries owed to Grade 17 to 22 staff.
The JAC also demanded settlement of four months’ outstanding salary dues from the 2023–24 financial year, and one month’s dues from the 2024–25 financial year.
The committee criticized the university administration for its apathy and delay in new admissions, and called on the provincial government to take immediate notice of the issue.
The situation has raised serious concerns about the future of thousands of students, whose academic progress now hangs in the balance.
Despite repeated appeals for support, the provincial government appears to have turned a blind eye. The absence of a functional provincial Higher Education Commission (HEC) has further exacerbated the crisis.
In comparison, Punjab, with a population of 130 million, has 35 public universities, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with over 40 million people, has 34.
Critics also highlight developmental imbalances, citing the establishment of a university in Swabi by the Awami National Party (ANP), despite a lack of basic infrastructure such as washrooms in some areas. The move ultimately failed to gain lasting political support from the local population.
Experts and civil society members are now calling for urgent intervention and structural reforms to prevent educational institutions from becoming casualties of political neglect.