Pakistan: Balochistan University employees protest over non-payment of salaries

Teaching and non-teaching staff of the University of Balochistan marched and staged a sit-in on various streets of Quetta, Pakistan over non-payment of their salaries for the last four months, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

According to Dawn report, the protesting faculty and other staff members raised questions as to why the funds were not being released when funds were always released for all other departments. The protesting faculty and other staff members urged Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and his parliamentary committee members to fulfill their promises by releasing the funds.

Earlier this month, hundreds of teachers and staff of the University of Balochistan staged a sit-in in front of the Balochistan Assembly, Dawn reported. After the sit-in, they marched on the main streets of Quetta over non-payment of salaries for the last four months.

The protesters said that due to non-payment of salaries they are facing major financial problems. According to Dawn report, they gathered at the university and then took out a rally, which passed through main Sariab Road, Jinnah Road, Zarghoon Road and then reached Quetta.

Teachers along with staff of the University of Balochistan set up a camp outside the assembly gate to prevent entry of persons into the campus. However, people used alternative gates to enter the provincial assembly.

The members of the assembly informed Speaker Balochistan Assembly retired Captain Abdul Khaliq Achakzai about the protest. According to Dawn report, the Speaker constituted a five-member committee, which includes Mir Saddiq Umrani, Mir Ali Madad Jattak, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Agha Omar Ahmadzai and Wali Muhammad Noorzai, to hear the demands of the protesters.

The committee held talks with the leaders of the Joint Action Committee. The protesters conveyed their grievances to the committee, saying that the university staff, including the teaching staff, have not received salaries, leading to financial difficulties.

The Committee assured the Joint Action Committee that the issues related to their salaries and pensions would be resolved at the earliest. He said Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has already approved grants to universities to address the financial crisis, Dawn reported. Teachers were told that the amount would be distributed in the coming days.