KARACHI:In a landmark development for the rights of university faculty across Pakistan, the Sindh High Court has disposed of the constitutional petition filed by Dr. Kamran Zakria and fellow Assistant Professors at NED University, directing the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to resolve the long-standing issue of promotions for Basic Pay Scale (BPS) faculty members.
The petition, filed by members of the All Pakistan University BPS Teachers Association (APUBTA), challenged the inaction of HEC in implementing a fair and transparent promotion policy for BPS faculty, a matter that has remained unresolved since 2002. The petitioners argued that despite a formal agreement dated March 10, 2022, and a subsequent notification issued on March 11, 2022, HEC failed to fulfill its commitment to finalize the promotion policy, thereby violating their fundamental rights under Articles 4 and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
It is worthwhile to mention that more than 60 thousand teachers under the leadership of APUBTA has been struggling for the same rights of service structure, staged several protests, sit-in, proven their rights on various forums like senate, National Assembly, HEC and many others but HEC was using its delaying tactics that shall now timely be resolved as directed by the Honourable court.
The Honourable Justices Muhammad Karim Khan Agha and Adnan-ul-Karim Memon acknowledged the grievances of the petitioners and noted that BPS faculty had been deprived of promotion opportunities, while their counterparts in the Tenure Track System (TTS) continued to receive timely career advancements under more favorable terms.
In its judgment, the Court found the petitioners’ demands to be grounded in merit and fairness, and directed the HEC to hear the petitioners and resolve the matter within three months, strictly as per the law. The judgment emphasized the need for institutional accountability and fairness in addressing long-pending service matters.
“This is a significant step forward for thousands of BPS faculty members who have been ignored for over two decades, despite of higher qualifications” said Dr. Kamran Zakria, lead petitioner in the case. “The Court’s direction is a resounding affirmation that our rights matter and must be respected.”
APUBTA President Dr. Sami ur Rahman, GS Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, and the core committee members welcomed the decision, urging the HEC to act in good faith and implement the promotion policy without further delay, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders to avoid any further legal complications and a strong resistance of the countrywide teaching community of the esteemed institution.
