KARACHI: The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) has announced that its ongoing protest against the Sindh government`s plan to appoint bureaucrats as vice chancellor at public sector universities will continue and academic activities will remain suspended on Monday (today).

Holding the provincial government responsible for students` academic loss, the association said in a statement, `This protest would continue till the government reversed its decisions.

`We call upon all teachers, students, political leaders, civil society members and the journalist community to support us in this struggle,` it said.

`This is not just a fight for teachers` rights, but a battle to protect higher education in Sindh. Let us unite to save the education system and secure the future of coming generations, the statement declared.

The association urged the government to withdraw its plans to appoint bureaucrats or commissioned officers as VCs and to hire teachers on a contractual basis, saying: `The proposed amendments will affect academic standards and destabilise the education system.

The teachers demanded that the government return the authority to issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) for faculty members travelling abroad to the VCs and address financial crises affeeting universities.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the association is scheduled today (Monday) to discuss the matters and chalk out further line of action.