Most of public sector varsities in KP facing financial crunch.

Byline: MANSOOR ALI

ISLAMABAD -- Majority of public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are facing difficulties in payAing salaries and pensions to their employees due to the financial crisis.

Many of them have reAquested the HEC and the provincial government for some special grants but they are yet to get any positive response from the government side.

Recently, on April 4, 2020, the University of Peshawar, one of the old universities of KP, has once again approached the KP government and requested for some grants in order to get rid of the further financial crisis in near future.

It was stated in a letter that the university was alAready short of funds for the last couple of years and the provincial governAment and HEC were asked again and again for some special grants but they are yet to respond to the reAquest of the university.

It was further stated in the letter that the univerAsity's income from stuAdents, shops, guest housAes, and Bara Gali campus was nil; which has further worsened the financial situation of the university.

Earlier in January, the UoP had informed the provincial government that due to the persisAtent financial crunch, the University of Peshawar would not be able to pay salaries and pensions on 1st February 2020. It was further stated that the worsening financial position of the universiAty has continuously been brought to the notice of both - the Provincial govAernment and the HighAer Education commisAsion - for the last several months with the request for a bailout package; however, the university is yet to get the response back from the governAment and HEC.

As per the details availAable with The Nation, the due payment of the uniAversity in the mentioned month was Rs 402 milAlion and the available balance with it in all the accounts along with the additional grants of HEC was Rs 199 million.

It was also revealed that major cause of the finanAcial shortfall is the insuffiAcient increase in grant over the period of last 12 years, whereby it was not correAspondingly increased to match the burgeoning exApenditure on salary and pension as announced by the government over the same time period.

It was mentioned in the letter that against the increase of Rs. 2,089 milAlion in salary and penAsion...