On 31 May 2021, staff from universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were violently attacked by heavily armed police as they marched to the Peshawar provincial assembly.
The march was organised by the Federation of All Pakistan Academic Staff Association (FAPASA) to demand the reversal of government reforms forcing universities to generate their own finances. The police fired tear gas and used batons, leaving many protesters injured, with at least 16 requiring hospital treatment. Twenty-four protesters, including the Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) president, were arrested.
