News Desk
Quetta: Balochistan University is facing a critical financial crisis, paying Rs 28 crore monthly to its 1,450 employees, while struggling with limited income and reduced grants from the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The dire situation was revealed during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen at the Balochistan Provincial Assembly.
The PAC reviewed the university’s appropriation accounts for 2019-2021 and audit paragraphs for 2022-2023, exposing major financial irregularities, including overstaffing, fund misuse, and administrative lapses.
Key Findings and PAC Orders:
- Overstaffing Concerns: The university struggles with escalating expenditures due to a bloated workforce.
- Recovery of Misused Funds: The PAC directed the recovery of Rs 22.876 million from employees for house rent and repair expenses and ordered action against officials who misused 29 laptops meant for students.
- Non-Returning Teachers: The PAC mandated the recovery of expenses from 13 teachers who failed to return after being sent abroad for education, with FIRs to be filed against their guarantors.
- Need for Revenue Generation: The university, as an autonomous institution, was urged to improve its income generation to reduce dependency on government funding.
Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen expressed disappointment over the ongoing protests by university faculty and staff for non-payment of salaries. He criticized the mismanagement by previous administrations, which included recruiting relatives and misusing endowment funds. The PAC called for strict implementation of its directives to address the university’s financial and administrative challenges.
Nazeer Lehri, the Chairman of the Officers Association Disagrees
Nazeer Lehri, Chairman of the Officers Association at the University of Balochistan (UoB), highlighted the financial struggles faced by the institution, stating that despite the Government of Balochistan providing Rs 22 crore and the university managing pensions for 900 retirees, it still operates at a deficit. He expressed concern over the non-payment of salaries for November, which has prompted staff to plan protests. Lehri also criticized the University Act 2022, which imposes fines and imprisonment on employees participating in protests, further complicating efforts to address their grievances.
