ISLAMABAD:Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) has demanded immediate release of supplementary grant to the educational institutions at the earliest possible in order to clear the backlog of rental ceiling of the teachers.
The association claimed that the authorities were not releasing the pending rental ceiling of the teachers, who have been struggling for the same for the last over one year.
Teachers’ body alleged that the authorities had abruptly reduced the funds of educational institutions in the head of occupancy cost (Rental ceiling) in the current fiscal year 2022-23 without any settlement.
“While our teachers are facing threats of eviction from their house owners due to non-payment of rent, all other employees of ministries, divisions and departments in the same city are getting their regular rental ceiling in time without any problem. This completely disregards the teachers.” asserted the president of FGCTA Dr. Rahima Rehman.
Talking to reporter, Professor Farhan Azam Vice president of the association said, “The relevant department has failed to release pending rental payments to the house owners of the teachers. The house owners demand the rent from our teachers repeatedly on daily basis and are getting on the teachers’ nerves”.
“Teachers are compelled to take loans to cover their rent obligation which is the responsibility of the government. The association has been struggling for the release of funds for rental ceiling for a long time but the authorities are not paying heed to the issue”, he said.
Vice president of FGCTA, Professor Tasnim Akhter Mir, “Teachers are suffering with no money to pay the rent. Inadequate funds allocation by the Finance Division has led to delay in rental payments. The authorities must understand that the financial problems faced by the teachers on account of non-payment of rental ceiling for over one year is an absolute infringement upon the their fundamental rights being government servants.”
Dr. Jabir Hussain, the press and information secretary of FGCTA said, “The teachers have been patiently and silently bearing the brunt of overdue payment of rental ceiling. They are paying their rent out of their own pockets, leaving them with insufficient money for other household expenses. Many of them gave testimonies about the hardships they have been facing owing to constant delay in rental payments.”
The association has urged upon the authorities to immediately release all pending payment of rental ceiling and warned that it would be compelled to resort to democratic way of attaining justice if there is no early release of pending rental ceiling.