Faculty Strikes Surge Amid Sindh's Controversial Vice-Chancellor Appointments

The standoff between Sindh's provincial government and university teachers intensifies over plans to appoint bureaucrats as vice-chancellors. Academic activities are suspended, and protests are being planned. Faculty members blame the government for ignoring their concerns and threaten legal action to protect university autonomy.

Tensions are mounting in Sindh as the provincial government and university faculty clash over the appointment of bureaucrats as vice-chancellors, according to the Dawn. The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (Fapuasa)-Sindh has announced the suspension of academic activities on Monday, accompanied by province-wide protests.

Representatives from institutions such as the University of Karachi and Sindh Madressatul Islam University have expressed fierce opposition to the government's stance, attributing the worsening crisis in public universities to governmental neglect. Fapuasa-Sindh has issued a statement condemning the government's refusal to engage with university stakeholders, citing this as the primary cause of the academic disruption.

With no alternative, faculty members are suspending academic duties amidst what they describe as government provocation. Fapuasa-Sindh is organizing a significant protest at the Karachi Press Club, inviting other organizations, including SPLA, the Karachi Bar Association, and civil society, to support their demands. Additionally, the association plans to consult legal experts about challenging the controversial amendment threatening university autonomy, the Dawn reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)