London Escorts sunderland escorts 1v1.lol unblocked yohoho 76 https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/yohoho?lang=EN yohoho https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/agariounblockedpvp https://yohoho-io.app/ https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/agariounblockedschool1?lang=EN

Baloch Students March for Education – TBP Editorial

Must Read

Genocide is the only option in Balochistan – Pakistani Minister declares

A Pakistani minister in Balochistan, who is de-jure head of security apparatus in the region, has declared that genocide...

Aslam Baloch — The Baloch General – TBP Special report

For seventy years, through ups and downs, successes and failures, with rapid and slow pace, the Balochistan’s...

State’s deadly weapon, Shafiq Mengal – The Balochistan Post report

Strings of suicide bombing in Sindh's Shikarpur city and firing incident on BSO azad's rally in Khuzdar got connected...

The Pakistan People’s Party led government in 2009 announced the much hyped-up Aghaz-e-Haqooq e Balochistan project to “address the longstanding grievances” of the area. The package included political, administrative, economic and educational initiatives for people of the poor region engulfed in a bloody turmoil. However, many called it just another counter-insurgency tactic that will meet the fate of many others of the similar nature. Along with many other promises, special quote scholarships by Higher Education Commission for students of Balochistan to pursue studies in local and foreign institutions were also announced.

It took nearly three year for the promises to materialise and a scholarship scheme was formally announced in 2012 and universities of Punjab were ordered to set up reserved seats for Baloch students. Initially these seats were numbered at 600 but the plan was further expanded in 2013 after Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch (then CM Balochistan) and his counterpart from Punjab Shehbaz Sharif had a meeting. The rules were simple: any student to secure admission in universities of Punjab on open merit shall not be charged any fees including the hostel expenses.

The plan was famous amongst the students of Balochistan, who otherwise have almost non-existent venues of quality education in Balochistan. Thousands worked hard and secured admissions in several universities of Punjab. But like many other promises this whole plan was short-lived too.

Since last two years these students have been subject to reduced benefits. Initially the free of cost hostel accommodations were slashed and the students were ordered to pay their hostel expenses. However, the university administration, like that of Bahauddin Zakaria University, have now gone a step further and have announced to suspend all scholarships from 2020. University administrations cite lack of funds from government of Punjab and Balochistan, who in turn blame each other about the issue.

The Baloch and Pashtun students of these universities have been protesting against the issue for nearly two months now. In the first phase of their protest, the students set up a demonstration camp in the entrance of Bahauddin Zakria University that continued for more than a month. However, as demands were not met, the students are currently undertaking a perilous long march of 800km to walk from Multan to Lahore and then to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.

They allege that their scholarships were abolished in continuity of the discriminatory behaviour directed at them. This allegation carries weight as Baloch students from Punjab University, Quaid-e-Azad University Islamabad, Bahauddin Zakaria University and others have been victims of violence on multiple instances from student wings of Pakistani political parties.

There is an urgent need for restoration of these scholarships so that the students from one of the poorest regions of the world can attain quality education and play a positive role in the development of their areas. This is not much of an ask as Balochistan has been providing majority of resources for the factories and commercial infrastructure of Punjab. These students only demand educational rights and they should not be condemned with discriminatory behaviour.

Latest News

Kech: Man Forcibly Disappeared, Protesters Block CPEC Highway

In the Kech district of Balochistan, Pakistani forces allegedly detained a man last night, who has since...

Karachi: Two Chinese Nationals Injured in Shooting

Two Chinese nationals were injured in a shooting incident at a textile mill in Karachi. According to Karachi police,...

Balochistan: Three Men ‘Forcibly Disappeared’ by Pakistani Security Forces

Three Baloch men have reportedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in separate incidents across Balochistan’s Mastung, Musa Khel, and Mand...

Seven Soldiers Killed, Mineral Transport Vehicles Destroyed; BLA and BLF Claim Attacks

Two Baloch “pro-independence” armed groups, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), have claimed responsibility for separate attacks...

Attacks on Pakistani Forces in Nushki and Chamalang, Casualties Reported

In Balochistan’s Nushki district, an attack was carried out on a convoy of Pakistani forces, resulting in casualties on both sides.