Student organizations at the University of Balochistan have condemned the closure of university hostels and the imposition of a clearance requirement ahead of exams, saying the decisions have caused “mental stress” and hardship for hundreds of students.
In a joint statement, the Baloch Students Action Committee, BSO (Pajjar), PSO, and PSF described the move as “harassment and obstruction of education,” warning that the policy was “extremely alarming” for students.
The groups said the administration’s decision to use a minor issue as a pretext to close hostels during exams was evidence of “incompetence and hostility toward education.” They noted that although the university had already issued the exam schedule, hostels remained closed, which they called “irresponsible.”
Student representatives said that most students come from remote areas and do not have alternative accommodation in Quetta, making the closure of hostels and the requirement for a clearance certificate especially burdensome.
They argued that the clearance process is typically carried out when a student completes their academic program, not before exams, and described the new policy as “additional psychological distress.”
“We, the student organizations, strongly condemn these irresponsible actions by the university administration and will continue our struggle to protect student rights,” the statement read. “We want to send a clear message to the administration: the university hostels must be reopened immediately so that students from Balochistan can continue their education without hindrance.”
The organizations warned that if the administration conducts exams without reopening the hostels, “all student organizations of the University of Balochistan will unite and raise their voices against this anti-education stance,” and said they “reserve the right to boycott the exams.”