Quetta [Pakistan], March 18 : The University of Balochistan has been closed indefinitely and shifted to online classes, according to a notification issued by its registrar on Tuesday. Pakistani media outlet Dawn reported that the decision came amid escalating security concerns in the province, which has witnessed a surge in attacks on security forces in recent weeks. While the notification, which was obtained by Dawn, does not explicitly mention the reasons behind the closure, the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan is widely believed to be the driving factor.
The indefinite closure of the University of Balochistan highlights the broader impact of the deteriorating security environment in the province. On March 11, insurgents from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express, a passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The attackers detonated explosives on the tracks and in tunnels, halting the train in a remote mountainous area and reportedly took several hostages.
The ongoing insurgency in Balochistan is deeply rooted in the systematic repression and torture faced by the Baloch people over decades. Balochistan, rich in natural resources, has long been marginalised by the Pakistani state, with the Baloch people feeling excluded from the benefits of their own land. The Pakistani military's heavy-handed tactics, including arbitrary arrests, disappearances, and torture of Baloch activists and civilians, have exacerbated tensions.
Many Baloch people view the Pakistani military as an occupying force which is responsible for the destruction of their culture, identity, and autonomy. According to several Baloch nationalists, the disappearances and torture of local people have pushed more individuals toward groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
A major factor fueling this resentment is the issue of enforced disappearances. Over the past few decades, numerous reports have emerged about Baloch activists, political leaders, journalists, and ordinary citizens being abducted by Pakistani security forces. These individuals are often taken without any legal process, and their families are left without information about their whereabouts or condition. The disappearances are typically followed by a pattern of torture or abuse, which often results in the victims being left dead or severely harmed if they are ever found again.