Police in Gwadar reportedly raided a bookstall on Tuesday, confiscating books and detaining several students. The stall was part of the “Balochistan Kitaab Karwaan” initiative organized by the Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC). Both the students and their books were taken to the police station.
In a statement, the BSAC condemned the raid, saying, “If reading and teaching books are illegal, then all universities and colleges in the country should be shut down, and a bill should be passed in Parliament banning books altogether.”
The group described the raid as “disgraceful and lamentable,” pointing out the irony of Gwadar being portrayed as a symbol of Balochistan’s progress while education initiatives are subjected to such actions.
The BSAC alleged that while “drugs and other social crimes occur openly” in the city, “young people spreading knowledge are arrested and confined in police stations.” They accused the authorities of deliberately attempting to discourage Baloch youth from pursuing education.
The committee said the raid was part of a broader pattern of harassment and claimed that similar incidents have taken place in other parts of Balochistan. They argued that such actions are designed to alienate young people from books and foster hopelessness among them.
Despite the challenges, the BSAC vowed to continue promoting education and knowledge. “We will not step back from our mission to acquire and spread knowledge. We demand the immediate release of all detained students, along with their books, and an end to the harassment of Baloch youth,” the statement concluded.