The federal task force on faculty pay scales, chaired by Federal Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, approved a recommendation to grant tenure-track system faculty a 35% baseline salary increase. The eighth meeting brought together representatives from the Higher Education Commission and provincial higher education departments to address urgent pay and retention issues.

Members expressed concern that TTS salaries have been frozen since 2021, effectively erasing a previous 35 percent gap and undermining universities’ ability to attract and keep skilled academics. The stagnation in pay has made recruitment more difficult at a time when higher education institutions need experienced faculty to maintain quality and international competitiveness.

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal emphasised that a shortage of capable and committed teachers would have wide-ranging consequences for the higher education system. To protect standards and nurture talent, the task force concluded that pay reform is essential alongside stricter accountability measures.

The approved recommendations require that improved TTS salaries be linked to enforceable performance indicators so that higher pay is matched by measurable contributions to teaching and research. The Higher Education Commission was directed to work with provincial governments to ensure additional funding for university budgets and to coordinate implementation across jurisdictions.

Recognising differences in doctoral training, the task force also recommended special incentives for PhD holders from the world’s top 50 universities, reflecting the view that not all doctoral qualifications carry the same weight for teaching and research outcomes. These targeted measures are intended to strengthen meritocracy and raise institutional standards.

Officials said the move to raise TTS salaries and enforce performance metrics is part of a broader effort to promote merit, quality and talent in Pakistan’s higher education sector. The government signalled it will take concrete steps to implement the recommendations and monitor their impact on faculty recruitment, retention and academic performance.