LAHORE: The Punjab University Joint Action Committee has expressed serious concern over the deteriorating financial position of the university and demanded an immediate, comprehensive and independent forensic audit of its financial affairs.
According to the committee, around Rs4.88 billion in reserve funds, accumulated over the years through financial planning and austerity, were utilised during the last 14 months. It said the budget for the financial year 2025-26 was presented with a deficit of Rs2.57 billion.
The committee also raised questions over transparency in the transfer and use of approximately Rs786 million in accumulated funds of various departments at the central level.
It said that, for the first time in the university’s history, self-supporting programmes had also suffered a deficit of around Rs350 million. The situation, the committee maintained, raised serious questions about the university’s financial discipline and long-term economic sustainability.
The Joint Action Committee said the impact of the financial crisis was now being felt in the university’s core academic and research activities. It said research projects were being affected due to the non-provision of research grants, travel grants and publication support, while the university could also face difficulties in securing national and international research funding in future.
The committee demanded an immediate independent forensic audit of the university’s financial affairs. It also called for a complete investigation into the use of reserve funds, budget deficit, one-account policy and financial matters of self-supporting programmes.
The committee further demanded a long-term financial sustainability plan for the university, immediate payment of pending research grants and financial dues of teachers and employees, and activation of the university’s legal and financial forums so that all major financial decisions could be taken in a transparent and collective manner.
The Joint Action Committee stated that Punjab University’s financial crisis was not merely an administrative issue, but a matter concerning the future of thousands of students, research activities, the economic security of employees and the sustainability of an important national academic institution.
The committee urged the Government of Punjab and the Chancellor of Punjab University to intervene immediately and provide a clear and effective roadmap to steer the university out of the financial crisis.
The statement was issued by Joint Action Committee Chairman Professor Sardar Asghar, President Basharat Mahmood and Convener Professor Kamran Abid.
