Academic Staff Associations in Balochistan Reject Federal Budget 2025–26 as Inadequate for Universities and Employees
Quetta:The Academic Staff Association of the University of Balochistan, in collaboration with the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Balochistan Chapter, has strongly rejected the federal government’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025–26. The associations have labeled the allocated funds for public universities and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) as grossly inadequate.
In a joint statement, ASA President Prof. Dr. Kaleemullah Bareech, FAPUASA Central YSA General Secretary Fareed Khan Achakzai, Vice President Dr. Shabbir Ahmed Shahwani, Joint Secretary Zahra Malghani, Finance Secretary Prof. Dr. Sahibzada Baz Muhammad Kakar, Press Secretary Rehmatullah Achakzai, and executive members Arbab Raza Kasi, Farhana Umar Magsi, Dr. Mohibullah Kakar, Dr. Gul Muhammad Baloch, and Prof. Masood Mandokhail expressed deep concern over the drastic reduction in the development budget for public universities.
They highlighted that since 2018, the federal government has been allocating Rs. 65 billion annually for HEC and public sector universities. However, in the new budget, this amount has been slashed to just Rs. 39 billion, with no significant development project allocated for any university in Balochistan.
The statement further pointed out that the number of university employees and faculty members has increased significantly since 2018, while inflation has risen steeply. Despite these facts, the federal government has only announced a 10% increase in salaries and a mere 7% rise in pensions for government employees, which the associations deem wholly insufficient and reject outright.
The associations urged the ruling coalition—PML-N, PPP, MQM, and BAP—to fulfill their election promises and allocate at least a 50% raise in salaries and pensions. They also demanded a minimum of Rs. 200 billion for universities and HEC across the country.
They condemned the fact that faculty and officers at the University of Balochistan were deprived of their salaries and pensions during Eid-ul-Adha. The associations called for the immediate disbursement of salaries and pensions for May and urged the provincial government to allocate at least Rs. 15 billion in the upcoming provincial budget to meet the monthly salary and pension requirements of all universities in Balochistan.
Concluding the statement, the associations warned that if the government fails to revoke the notification eliminating approved university allowances and does not provide a permanent solution to salary and pension issues, the academic staff, under the umbrella of FAPUASA and the Grand Alliance, will launch a province-wide class boycott and pen-down strike.
