ISLAMABAD After the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilanis directives to the Finance Ministry to release funds to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the committee, formed by him for the resolution of budgetary crisis in the universities, has also agreed to accept major demands of the Commission. The committee, which met here on Thursday, finalised the details and procedure for the release of funds. After the meeting, HEC Chairman Dr. Javaid Laghari briefed the media regarding the decisions of the committee. Imtiaz Hussain Gillani, VC of UET Peshawar, and VC of Quaid-I-Azam University (QAU) Masoom Yasinzai were also present along with the HEC Chairman. Laghari said that the government had promised to release funds for the payment of 50 per cent raise and 15 per cent medical allowance to the employees of universities, continuation of support to scholars studying abroad and in local universities and completion of development projects that are in advanced stages of completion. He said that 50 per cent increase in salaries and 15 per cent raise in medical allowance would be paid to universities as an additional recurring grant, which amounts to about Rs 6 billion. Besides, all foreign and local scholars would be funded till the completion of their studies, while all approved scholarships will be withheld till the improvement of the countrys financial health, the HEC chief said. Furthermore, all projects, or component of projects, that are in advanced stages of completion, would be funded but no new contractual liabilities would be created until the economic situation of the country improves. The Vice Chancellors of UET Peshawar and QAU, appreciating the role of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the HEC, requested the associations of the universities to call off their strike. Imtiaz Hussain Gillani said that the struggle would continue till the restoration of all the cuts on the development funding. It has been leant that the amount of the first quarter of the current fiscal year would be released this week whereas the Finance Ministry has meeting of the released Rs 2.1 billion out of Rs 15.7 billion in the first quarter. Meanwhile, President of THE Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUAS), Maher Mohammad Saeed, has appreciated the governments move of accepting immediate demands of the universities saying that however, all the demands of the association have not been accepted. He said THAT the representatives of the Association were going to meet today to discuss the fresh situation and a future line of action would be announced after consultations. Its worth mentioning here that the association had announced to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Parliament House tomorrow, which has not been cancelled yet.