Explainer: Why have KU teachers suspended classes and examinations?

KARACHI: Teachers at the University of Karachi (KU) have been observing a strike for the past week, suspending classes and boycotting examinations over what they describe as long-pending financial demands.

The protest, led by the university’s teachers’ association, has disrupted routine academic activities across multiple departments, with ongoing examinations also affected. Teachers have warned that the boycott will continue until their demands are accepted and payments are released.

At the centre of the dispute are two key demands: payment of the “house ceiling” allowance and leave encashment. Teachers say these benefits are their right and should be implemented without further delay.

The “house ceiling” refers to accommodation-related support provided to university employees. Faculty members residing on campus are allotted university quarters or flats, while those living off-campus receive a fixed monetary housing allowance instead.

According to the KU administration, implementing both demands would require an estimated Rs550 million to Rs600 million, an amount the university says it currently cannot afford.

In response to the growing standoff, KU Vice-Chancellor Dr Khalid Iraqi has written to the Sindh government, particularly the chief secretary, seeking guidance on the issue. The university has pointed out that the house ceiling policy was originally announced by the federal government and questioned whether the Sindh government had formally adopted it.

University officials fear that implementing the allowance without provincial approval could create administrative and legal complications. At the same time, the administration has requested a financial package from the Sindh government if it wants the demands to be fulfilled.

So far, however, the university says it has not received any response from the provincial government, leaving negotiations at a standstill and academic activities disrupted.