Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal led a meeting to address salary disparities faced by faculty under the Tenure Track System (TTS). He emphasized the need for a lasting and transparent mechanism to ensure fair compensation and retain top academic talent in Pakistan.

According to Press Information Department, the meeting included State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiyani, officials from the Ministry of Finance, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and other stakeholders. Iqbal stressed the importance of addressing salary disparities with a clear formula to differentiate pay structures among Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors. He called for an independent mechanism to guide future salary adjustments, aiming to prevent recurring discrepancies and reduce the need for ongoing government deliberations.

Iqbal highlighted concerns over the loss of talented Pakistani professors to opportunities abroad, urging protection of the country’s investment in academic training through fair and sustainable compensation. He directed that the proposed salary framework be data-driven and financially sound, incorporating existing disparities and inflation-based adjustments.

He also warned the HEC against providing incomplete or inaccurate information, indicating that accountability measures would follow if the forum was misled. The meeting focused on resolving TTS salary disparities and establishing a predictable framework for future revisions.