ISLAMABAD: Amid a `deepening financial crunch`, lower-grade officials of the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) have started raising alarm, saying that the purported crisis is taking a toll on the excellence of the country`s top-ranked institution.

The assertion comes hoton the heels of a hue and cry raised by visiting faculty members of QAU over unpaid salaries for two years.

The Employees Welfare Association of QAU an elected body of non-gazetted employees on Wednesday issued a statement warning that if the funding issue was not resolved, `the university`s survival, academic research and administra-tion may face irreparable damage.

The association highlighted that over the past three to four years, nearly 200 retired employees have not received their pensions and gratuity payments, forcing many to take legal action.

In their statement, they claimed that many critically ill retired staff members have reportedly died without receiving their medical benefits, while others continue to suffer due to unpaid medical bills.

They said serving employees were also fac-ing severe hardships.

The association pointed out that 15 to 16 months of overtime dues remain unpaid, despite staff working extra hours and performing multiple duties. Moreover, allowances such as the `evening BS allowance` were pending, compounding the frustration and discontent among the staff.

`Morale is at an all-time low and staff are disillusioned,` the statement read, adding that the delay in resolving these critical issues has triggered a sense of helplessness across the university.QAU, regarded as one of Pakistan`s premier higher education institutions, has long been a national academic beacon.

It has produced leading figures in parliament, bureaucracy and scientific research.

However, the association warned that decades of excellence was now at stake due to the current funding shortfall.

`The government continues to announce annual increases in salaries and pensions for public sector employees, yet QAU has not received adequate funds to implement these changes. The result is a paralysing shortfall affecting salaries, research funding, infrastructure and administration,` they said.The association has called upon the president, prime minister, ministry of education and HEC to immediately release a bailout package worth Rs7 billion to prevent total collapse.

In a joint statement, association president Syed Hassan Shah and general secretary Iftikhar Ahmad Kayani expressed serious concerns over the prolonged delay in financial support from the federal government.

They stated that despite repeated efforts by QAU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar including meetings with the president, prime minister and other relevant authorities no financial relief has been provided so far.