The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations has appealed directly to the President, Prime Minister, parliamentary leaders and federal ministers to urgently address acute challenges facing higher education in Pakistan. In an open letter, the Federal Chapter President, Prof. Dr. Aamir Ali, warned that prolonged neglect is harming academic standards, research output and faculty morale across public sector universities.
FAPUASA has called for a substantial increase in funding for the Higher Education Commission to strengthen universities, research programmes, scholarships, laboratories and academic infrastructure. The organisation highlighted that the higher education budget has remained at Rs. 65 billion since 2017-18 despite a significant rise in the number of public universities, and said both recurring and development budgets must be raised to sustain operations and improve quality.
The association demanded the immediate approval and notification of the long-pending salary revision for faculty under the Tenure Track System as per the agreed formula among stakeholders. FAPUASA also pressed for comprehensive death benefits and social protection for TTS faculty to ensure financial security for their families in times of crisis.
Restoring tax relief for university teachers formed a key part of the appeal. The letter noted that teachers once enjoyed a 75% tax rebate, which was cut to 40% in 2013, to 25% in 2019 and was removed altogether in 2025. FAPUASA urged the government to reinstate meaningful tax concessions in recognition of faculty contributions to research and human capital development.
The federation further requested the adoption and implementation of a uniform promotion policy for Basic Pay Scale faculty across all universities. While the Higher Education Commission circulated a BPS promotion policy in 2022 that was accepted by stakeholders after minor amendments, FAPUASA emphasised that its enforcement remains pending and must be expedited to ensure fair career progression.
Prof. Dr. Aamir Ali warned that without prompt fiscal and administrative remedies, universities will continue to face declining research productivity, difficulty retaining qualified faculty and widening uncertainty for students and staff. The organisation urged federal and provincial stakeholders to prioritise higher education reforms, restore lost benefits and implement agreed policies to stabilise the sector.
FAPUASA stressed that investment in higher education and academic human resources is essential for Pakistan’s scientific progress, economic resilience and long-term development. The federation called on policymakers to take immediate steps on funding, salary revision and policy implementation to prevent further erosion of academic standards and to support sustainable national growth.
