By Syed Sajjad Mashwani
International Islamic University Islamabad is among Pakistan’s prominent universities, serving students from across the country and abroad. The university has received financial support and grants from various sources, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, to improve teaching, research and educational facilities.
A recently reported approval of a Rs150 million Saudi grant is a welcome development.
It also raises a question: how are these funds being spent, and why do students, teachers and employees say they have yet to see the benefits?
Thousands of students study at the university, from bachelor’s level through to PhD programmes. Yet students complain that classrooms lack air conditioning, leaving them to study in intense heat and humidity. For an institution of international standing, the condition of basic teaching facilities deserves urgent attention.
Employees and teachers also report longstanding financial and administrative difficulties. They say increases announced for government employees in federal budgets have not always been fully implemented at the university.
Staff already earning modest salaries face further pressure from deductions and other administrative decisions.
House-rent and conveyance allowances, they say, have seen little meaningful improvement despite rising living costs. When employees request higher pay and allowances, they are reportedly told that the university’s finances do not permit it. If funds are limited, the administration should explain clearly how domestic and foreign grants are allocated and spent.
Teachers have raised a separate dispute over incentives for three faculties. According to their account, an increase was approved but later withheld on the grounds that funds were unavailable.
They say repeated meetings with the administration and the then university president failed to resolve the matter, leading them to seek relief from the courts.
The teachers say the Islamabad High Court ruled in their favour after approximately 17 years, but that the decision has yet to be fully implemented. If so, the university should explain what remains outstanding and set out a timetable for compliance.
Teaching workloads are another concern. Lecturers and assistant professors say their course load increased from three to four courses without a corresponding improvement in pay or benefits.
The additional work can also reduce the time available for research and student support.
Some teachers have complained about their treatment in administrative offices, saying professors and lecturers have at times been kept waiting for hours. Such complaints should be examined and addressed in a manner consistent with the dignity of an academic institution.
International Islamic University Islamabad is a national asset. Its administration should publish clear accounts of the grants and funds it receives and how they are used.
It should also improve classrooms, laboratories and the wider learning environment; address legitimate concerns about pay and working conditions; and ensure full compliance with court orders.
A university’s standing rests on the experience of its students, teachers and employees as much as on its buildings and funding. Giving their concerns serious attention would help the institution fulfil the promise of its international reputation.
