HEC Being Criticized For Poor Performance by FAPUASA Sindh

The Federation of all Pakistan Universities Academic Staff association held a meeting on Thursday, at University of Karachi and recorded their protest again HEC’s poor performance in implementing the 18th amendment in Sindh. The FAPUASA blamed HEC for giving hype to issues instead of solving and further criticized poor management of HEC in facilitating all Universities of Sindh with teaching and research prerequisites. The officials of FAPUASA urged the Government of Sindh to take instant measures to solve their issues and suggested the higher governance to reconstitute HEC Sindh and hire non-political persons to manage its administration.

The problems faced by Universities of Sindh enlisted by FAPUASA in this meeting included: Delay In Up gradation of Teachers, Delay in transfer of powers to Universities Syndicates as per prescribed by Criteria of Government, Delay in Grant for PhD Scholars, Delay In Increasing Teaching and Research Programmes and Courses in Universities, Delay in Technical Allowances for Engineering, Law and Pharmacy faculty members, Unjust Deputation of Retired Employees in Universities, Violating Rules of Supreme Court and Removal of Non-Merit Appointed Vice Chancellors.

The FAPUASA documented the problems faced by them and Universities of Sindh and petitioned it with signatures of all attending officials of this meeting to be sent to Chief Minister of Sindh. They urged CM to take instant action and resolve their problems.

HearMeToo Youth Dialogue Held at SZABIST University:

The most talked about and active movement of MeToo was discussed in SZABIST University in youth dialogue which was attended by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. She addressed the Students, Faculty members and Social Activists saying, ‘It is a new driver of potential harmful gender inequality as more and more universities and students gain internet access. Sexual harassment is intolerable, and we are witnessing that students are providing inspirational leadership in combating it. Now is the time for stronger action and we have to start from education’.

The event on On-Campus, Off-Campus and Cyber Harassment of Women was directed on empowering women to voice the injustice against them and come out to talk about it. The VC of SZABIST University, Ms. Nasreen Haque said in her speech, ‘We need to join hands and exercise the power of solidarity to promote and coordinate efforts to advance the full realization of women’s rights, to tell them how valuable and precious they are; that they are to be treated with dignity and respect; that they should disregard anyone who demeans or devalues them. On behalf of SZABIST, I propose a Consortium of Chairs of anti-sexual harassment committees of universities of Karachi to share their experiences’.

The Movements of #MeToo and #TimesUp is getting momentum in Pakistan as well, with various famous celebrities talking about their stories on social media openly. Female harassment and gender disparity are two major issues being faced by women and their families in Pakistan which have hurdled numerous talented students from taking admissions in Universities and Colleges for further studies and progressing in their professional careers. This issue should to be attentively targeted for ultimate elimination for promotion of female education in Pakistan.