SAHIWAL: Mess created by ill-planned elevation of post-graduate government colleges as universities in Punjab continues as 180 employees of the Emerson University, Multan, failed to get their May 2022 salary.

Before the Emerson upgrade in February last, employee`s monthly salaries were handled by the Accountant General, Punjab, through the local district accounts of fice.

After elevation, a university gets autonomous status and its Knancial matters go to the registrar ofñce and treasurer.

PPLA`s Multan Division president Qasir Sajad told Dawn by phone that Emerson was upgraded in February 2022 and it was a known fact that its employees` salaries would come under a new system.

He regretted that key positions of the Emerson University, including accountant, registrar, treasure, and VC havenot been filled by Higher Education Department on a permanent basis.

Prof Dr Navid Ahmed, who is holding the additional charge of VC, confirmed salaries had not been given to employees.

He said the university had shifted the salaries ofallstafftotheirrespective banks under the new system and administration but still things were under process.

`Around 70 per cent salaries have been disbursed under the new system and rest would be done in near future,` the VC added. The PPLA said it would launch a protest drive against the university administration if salaries were not delivered by next Monday.

The Emerson College, having a 100-year history of being a premier public sector institution, was elevated without proper homework.

The University of Sahiwal was created from the BZU sub-campus in 2013 but it still lacked a permanent registrar, treasure, and a VC.