Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association’s (FAPUASA) Sindh Chapter President Prof Dr Ayaz Ali Kerio said on Thursday that all the universities in Sindh province would observe a ‘black day’ on the 18th April to record their protest against Sindh government’s interference in universities’ autonomy.
Talking to PPI, Dr Ayaz said that the example of recent interference was s the appointment of a Pro-Vice Chancellor in University of Sindh, Jamashoro, without following university’s rules and regulations.
Dr Ayaz demanded of removal of the Pro-VC immediately. He warned that the protest would be expanded across the country for protecting the universities’ autonomy.
Ayaz said that the appointment of the Pro-VC was open breach of the agreement inked between Chief Minister Secretariat officials and representatives of Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) last year.
He said they were assured by the CM Secretariat that the Sindh government’s interference in the universities’ autonomy would be stopped, but they had repeated the same malpractice by appointing a Pro-VC in University of Sindh.
In this connection, NED Teachers Association’s (NETA) President Prof Dr Usman Shah and Karachi University Teachers Society’s President Dr Shakeel Farooqui also announced full support for the FAPUASA and its call for observing a ‘black day’ on April 18th in Sindh’s all universities.
In a statement issued on Thursday, they stated that their demands should be taken seriously including bringing amendments to Universities’ Act 2013, and restoration of universities’ autonomy. They said as per the university’s rules and regulations, the Sindh government had no authority to appoint a pro-vice chancellor in any university as such appointment was made by the Selection Board on the recommendations of Senate and Syndicate of the concerned university. The NETA and KUTS would stand together with the Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) in this regard, they alleged.