Quetta:Professors from Balochistan’s two major universities, the University of Balochistan and Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), have set up a symbolic hunger strike camp outside the Quetta Press Club to protest against the non-payment of salaries.
On Monday, university staff jointly established the hunger strike camp, expressing their grievances over the ongoing delays in salary payments. Dr. Kaleemullah, President of the Academic Staff Association at the University of Balochistan, and Soheil Baloch, President of the BUITEMS Staff Association, addressed the media during the protest.
They stated that university employees in Balochistan have faced delays in salary payments for the past two years. Despite the start of the new fiscal year, staff have not received half or any of their salaries for the past two months, leaving them in distress and anxiety.
The professors emphasized that educators are vital for shaping the future of the nation, yet the lack of salary payments has rendered them dependent on others for basic sustenance. They pointed out that the current provincial government is led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), whose chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is also present in Quetta. They recalled that the PPP’s electoral manifesto promised to allocate 5% of GDP to education, but this commitment has not yet been fulfilled.
The protestors demanded immediate disbursement of full salaries to university staff and urged the government to permanently resolve the financial crisis facing the universities. The hunger strike camp will continue today outside the press club from 2 PM to 6 PM.
