The academic activities at Karachi University and over 17 other universities across Sindh have remained suspended for the fifth consecutive day due to ongoing protests against the government’s decision to appoint bureaucrats as vice-chancellors.
The protests, led by the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), have resulted in a complete boycott of academic activities since January 16.
FAPUASA opposes the proposed amendments to the Universities Act that would allow non-academics and bureaucrats to assume the role of vice-chancellor.
The association argues that such changes threaten the academic autonomy of universities and will lower the quality of higher education.
FAPUASA’s Sindh chapter has called for province-wide protests, observing a black day, and organizing general body meetings to mobilize academic staff.
Members have been directed to hold press conferences and rallies at their respective universities to escalate resistance against the government’s education policies.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has also voiced concerns over the appointment of bureaucrats and non-PhDs as vice-chancellors, stating that it undermines university autonomy and academic standards.
FAPUASA leaders are calling for an immediate reversal of these decisions, warning that any efforts to politicize or bureaucratize university leadership will face strong opposition from Sindh’s academic community.
