The Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) on Tuesday called off its 41-day-long protest and boycott of examinations following successful mediation efforts led by Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC) Chairman Prof Dr SM Tariq Rafi, marking a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crisis at the University of Karachi.
An important meeting was held at the SHEC on the directives of Dr Rafi to discuss measures for resolving the academic and administrative issues facing the university. The meeting was jointly chaired by Sindh Minister for Universities & Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo and Dr Rafi.
The meeting was attended by Universities & Boards Secretary Muhammad Abbas Baloch, SHEC Charter Inspection & Evaluation Committee Chairman Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, SHEC Secretary Dr Noman Ahsan, KUTS President Dr Syed Ghufran Alam, Employees Welfare Association President Zahid Hussain Baloch and Karachi University Officers Welfare Association President Faisal Hashmi.
They held detailed discussions on the financial and administrative issues confronting university employees and officers. After extensive deliberations, it was decided that the universities & boards department would submit a summary to the Sindh chief minister containing favourable recommendations regarding ex-gratia payments and the housing rent ceiling for KU employees.
The meeting agreed that the teachers’ association would first withdraw its boycott, following which the summary regarding ex-gratia payments and the housing rent ceiling would be forwarded to the CM for approval.
The development effectively ends more than a month of disruption caused by the teachers’ protest, which had affected exams and academic activities at the university. Separately, the executive committee of KUTS held an emergency meeting and formally approved the decision to end the boycott. Dr Alam said the association has decided to defer its protest and exam boycott following negotiations with Dr Rafi and Rahoo.
He added that the approaching month of Muharram was also a factor behind the decision to suspend the protest campaign. The meeting also decided that the committee previously constituted to address the university’s outstanding issues would continue its work to ensure a lasting resolution of the grievances raised by teachers, officers and employees.
