KP govt withdraws ban on recruitment in public sector universities

PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa higher education department on Thursday withdrew the notification of the ban on new recruitment in Universities due to financial crises.

A notification issued said “the Competent Authority has been pleased to withdraw the notification of August 27, 2019, subject to the conditions that recruitment shall only be made against budgeted posts properly created through F&PC, Syndicate and approved by the Senate, and against the posts reflected in the respective PC-Is;

Due to financial crisis faced by universities, HED has imposed a ban on recruitments in all the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), said a notification issued to all vice-chancellors (VCs) of KP public sector universities, It was said for any recruitment, now the university administration will have to obtain no-objection certification (NOC) from before hiring new staff for the universities.

The notification was taken back after the strike of all universities teachers in the province, condemning the government that ban was imposed without taking the universities administration on board. Teachers have expressed deep concern over the unilateral action taken without taking the varsities on board or seeking legal opinion on the matter while bypassing the heads of universities.  The vice-chancellors had urged HED officials to shun practices which harm the autonomy, dignity and reputation of universities.

The FAPUASA in its meeting had demanded the removal of ban on the appointments in the universities and audit of the employments by VCs during the last 10 years through a judicial commission. Condemning what they called the illegal and unjustifiable ban on recruitment in the public sector universities by the Higher Education Department, the meeting demanded of the government to lift the ban forthwith.

The FAPUASA also demanded of the government to stop the violation of Universities Act by appointing vice-chancellors against the criteria mentioned in the law and giving an illegal extension to the VCs of Gomal University DI Khan and Islamia College Peshawar.