KARACHI: Retired faculty members and non-teaching staff of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) on Thursday staged another protest outside the Karachi Press Club to demand payment of their long-pending pensions and other dues.
The demonstrators held placards and chanted slogans against the university administration, particularly the vice chancellor.
Speaking to the media, the protesters claimed that despite the university having Rs670 million in Pension Funds (PF) funds and receiving Rs320 million in recent federal grants, dozens of employees who retired as far back as 2017 had yet to receive their pending dues and pension payments.
According to them, at least eight retired employees have passed away while awaiting their rightful entitlements.
They also accused the vice chancellor of habitual absenteeism and neglecting the concerns of retired employees, leading to deepening administrative and financial crises at the university. “The head of an educational institution must remain present at the institution,” said a retired professor. “When the vice chancellor is frequently abroad and avoids questions, institutions suffer.”
Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, convener of the Retired Employees Committee, stated: “This protest is not a sign of helplessness but a call of conscience. We do not seek charity — we demand our rightful dues.”
He added that the Federal Ombudsman had issued a clear directive mandating the immediate release of pensions and arrears from the GP fund. “The university administration is in open defiance of this constitutional order,” he said. “If this attitude continues, we will escalate our protest at the national level.”
The protesters vowed to continue their movement until their demands were met.
Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2025
