The issue of non-payment of salaries at The Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) took a new turn when the non-academic employees staged a protest demonstration at the old Abbasia Campus of IUB. On the other hand, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has clarified its position on the matter.
The protestors demanded payment of their salaries for the month of March which are still unpaid. The employees then marched towards the Bahawalpur Press Club, where leaders of protestors delivered speeches.
The employees of IUB demanded the varsity administration to pay the March salaries at the earliest, along with the pay for the month of April, before Eidul Fitr, in pursuance of a government directive.
On the other hand spokesperson, IUB blames HEC for non-issuance of funds worth Rs 800 million which caused the delay in salaries.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has clarified that non-payment of salaries to the employees of Islamia University, Bahawalpur (IUB) has nothing to do with the release of HEC funds and the unfortunate situation has arisen due to grave mismanagement of university’s financial resources.
A news item published on Monday completely misrepresented the facts that “IUB is struggling to pay salaries after non-payment of Rs.800 million by HEC” whereas the grant which includes salaries has also been released up to 3rd quarter. The amount of 733 million rupees, wrongly mentioned as 800 million, strictly pertains to BISP scholarships for undergraduate students and not the budget heads for payment of salaries.
This BISP funding has been put on hold by HEC because the University has not spent the previous tranches of this scholarship fund for disbursement among needy students rather the funds were diverted for other expenses, which is clearly against the financial rules as well as an agreement signed between HEC and IUB.
The matter of non-payment of salaries to the university employees is entirely an administrative matter of the University and has no relevance to the BISP scholarship budget which is solely committed to financially disadvantaged students. Linking unpaid salaries with the release of scholarship funds is an eyewash to deep-rooted financial mismanagement which culminated in the crisis IUB currently faces.
The attempt to malign the government for the University for non-release of funds is to cover up its own mismanagement, poor planning and financial control.
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