PESHAWAR: Peshawar University Teachers Association (Puta) has demanded of government to establish higher education council to supervise the institutions and resolve issues of all the universities without any wastage of time in the province.

Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, Puta president Prof Jamil Ahmed Chitrali said that the university teachers boycotted classes to protest some decisions of the provincial government but the strike was suspended on Oct 5 on the assurance of government to accept their demands.

Flanked by some other office-bearers of Puta, Prof Jamil welcomed formation of a committee with Dr Rasool Jan, the vice-chancellor of University of Peshawar, as its head to resolve the problems pertaining to the new laws. He said that all the stakeholders should be given representation in the committee.

The Puta chief said that in case of any legislation regarding the universities, the stakeholders should be taken on board to avoid complications.

`We have called off the strike and the teachers have resumed classes. The provincial government has assured us of removing our concerns,` he said.

Prof Jamil said that amendments in the universities laws should be aimed at improving the opportunities for research and learning.

The decision to call off the strike, he said, was been taken in a general body meeting held on Oct 4.

He said that they would resume the strike if government failed to address their issues. FAPUASA, an association of non-teaching staff of the university, would also hold its meeting to discuss the latest development regarding the statutes and would decide future course of action.

The Puta chief said that a meeting of University of Peshawar syndicate on Oct 4 also approved its own statutes.

Puta requested the governor to convene the university`s senate meeting before October 11 so that the same statues could be approved.