Islamabad - Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association on Saturday welcomed the Senate decision for adopting new tax rebate and increasing the retirement age of university teachers.
In a statement, the FAPAUASA appreciated the Senate for adopting 75 per cent tax rebate and 65 years retirement age. The FAPUASA, a forum of the university teachers across Pakistan, has appreciated the Chairman Senate and members devolution committee for approving 75 per cent tax rebate and retirement age enhancement to 65 years for university teachers which were presented to the Senate on last Thursday.
FAPUASA President Dr Kaleemullah Bareach and its Islamabad chapter President Dr Shehzad Ashraf Chaudhry said: “We are thankful to the senators especially the members of devolution committee for their efforts to resolve the longstanding issues of enhancement of retirement age to 65 years and 75 per cent tax rebate faced by university teachers throughout Pakistan”.
The recommendations are forwarded to the concerned ministries for implementation. According to rules of business of government, the concerned ministries will report their implementation to Senate within 60 days, or objection, if any. They said keeping in view the importance of higher education, the university teachers should be among the highest paid professions.
Yet, the teaching fraternity in Pakistan is low paid, neglected community and their perks and privileges are so meagre as compared to other professions of the country.
To attract capable leaders of the higher education, the government should play its role by offering the highly qualified university teachers lucrative pays and allowances as 75 per cent tax rebate is the first step in this direction.
They further said that higher education in Pakistan was still lacking highly qualified and capable academicians. At age of 60 a professor approaches the peak of its research and teaching, retiring at this stage deprives the nation of the knowledge repositories. In developed countries, the professor never retires, they added.
The FAPUASA requested the ministers of Federal Education and Finance to implement the Senate recommendations at earliest.
