Punjab Study

Rawalpindi:January 29:The future of scholarship-holder students is at stake, as the Punjab government has not been paying their fees for over a year while the concerned colleges and universities have issued notices to them to quit the institutions.

In Rawalpindi division, the concerned colleges and universities have issued notices to 188 students because of non-payment of fees for more than two years.

Talking to ‘The News’ students studying in different colleges and universities falling in Rawalpindi division including Islamic University, Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Preston University, COMSAT etc. told ‘The News’ that they are facing humiliation at the hands of the managements of the respective institutions because the government did not pay our dues for more than one year.

“We are seeing our future dark because institutions have warned us to stop studying if the government further delayed payment of dues,” they said. Workers Welfare Board Punjab (Member) and Mazdoor Union CBA General Secretary Syed Sajjad Gardezi said that thousands of intelligent students’ future is at stake because the government not pay fees to the concerned colleges and universities for more than one year. He said that the Punjab government is referring us to the federal government while the later is referring us to the Punjab government but nobody is serious in resolving this matter.

“Some of the educational institutions have issued f

inal notices to 188 students in the Rawalpindi division for discontinuation of their further studies,” he said. He said that they met concerned officials to help resolve the matter on priority but nobody is listening to us.

When ‘The News’ contacted Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Islamabad Controller of Examination Saqib Naveed, he admitting all facts said that the government is not paying us fees of students. “There is a fee balance of Rs35 million of Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Islamabad, which the government has not paid yet,” he said.

Similarly, the government is not paying to several other universities, he said. “Today I am going to meet secretary Punjab board for release of the funds else we would take further line of action,” he said.

When ‘The News’ contacted Workers Welfare Board Punjab’s Secretary Tariq Javed Malik he admitted delay in release of funds. He said that they are continuously paying money but facing delay in releasing funds due to some necessary formalities in between the Punjab and the federal governments.

“I have forwarded the case to Islamabad and after necessary formalities we would release fees of the students adding it takes time to complete the whole process,” he said. He said that they had released Rs500 million to scholarship holder students this year. “We would protect the future of all students and nobody would rusticate them from any institution,” he assured.The news.