Tenure Track Faculty decides to seek legal redress over salary discrimination
ISLAMABAD, June 08 (SABAH): The Tenure Track (TTS) faculty members serving in various public sector universities across the country have decided to consult the court to seek judicial intervention regarding the immediate implementation of the 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) of the Finance Division in its entirety and the notification regarding regular annual budgetary salary increase like all other university teachers serving on BPS. Meanwhile Islamabad High Court Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan will conduct initial hearing on the application on 10th June (Monday).
“To direct Finance Division to immediately implement the Office Memorandum bearing reference No. F.No. 4(6)R-4/2016 dated 29-09-2021 in letter and spirit in terms of Clause 2.10.4 of Model Tenure Track Statutes version 2.0 framed by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and notify the increased salary in clear terms by maintaining at least 35% gap between TTS and BPS faculty salaries” and “Finance Division to notify every year, after passing of Finance Bill by the Parliament, the salary increase of TTS faculty, in line with the promise and commitment made in paragraph No.2 of Office Memorandum bearing reference No. F.No. 4(6)R-4/2016 dated 29-09-2021 and in terms of Clause 2.10.4 of Model Tenure Track Statutes without compelling and forcing the TTS faculty to seek judicial intervention or resorting to other measures”
Professor Dr. Asif Ali, Executive Member of the All-Pakistan Tenure Track Faculty Association (APTTA) and Chairman of the Department of Mathematics at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), briefed the media on Saturday about the challenges facing Tenure Track teachers and explained the reason for seeking court intervention.
He stated that according to TTS policy, salaries should be revised every three years, but this has only occurred in 2011, 2015, and 2021. Despite the government increasing the salaries of Basic Pay Scale (BPS) employees by nearly 60% since 2021, Tenure Track System (TTS) faculty have not seen comparable adjustments. “The benefit of salary raise given to the TTS faculty in the year 2021 according to the referred Office Memorandum (OM) was not extended to them in 2022 and 2023 and the promised 35% gap has not been maintained between BPS and TTS faculty salaries” he added.
Dr. Asif Ali explained that the TTS system was introduced in Pakistan in 2007 to attract and retain young faculty with competitive, performance-based salary packages. The salary structure of TTS faculty was de-linked from the Basic Pay Scales system of the Government ensuring that TTS faculty will receive attractive salaries. Yet, TTS faculty was not eligible for allowances such as Ph.D. allowance, medical allowance, or orderly allowance. He said the TTS faculty members have faced significant challenges, including a lack of regular salary increases, as well as being deprived of essential benefits such as pensions and death packages/assistance. He remarked, that TTS Faculty now feel that their contributions and dedication are not being adequately recognized or rewarded.
Dr. Asif Ali said APTTA demands that the government instruct the relevant departments to notify the salary increase for TTS Faculty annually after the passing of the Finance Bill by the Parliament and address all the issues to end the discrimination that has led to growing frustration and discontent among TTS faculty members.