Punjab police raided a book stall in Rajanpur’s Dajal on Wednesday, arresting several members of the Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) and taking them to an undisclosed location, according to local sources. The stall was part of the “Balochistan Kitaab Karwaan” (Book Caravan) initiative, aimed at promoting education and intellectual discourse.
According to BSAC, police dismantled the stall and arrested several members without providing any reason. The detained students were taken to an undisclosed location before being released hours later.
Azhar Baloch, a central BSAC leader, said the arrests reflected a pattern of targeting the group’s educational activities in Balochistan and the Koh-e-Sulaiman region, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa Sharif, and Rajanpur.
“The actions of Punjab police show a clear intent to suppress education,” he said. “Harassing students and book stalls is an attack on knowledge and progress. Education must not be silenced.”
BSAC spokesperson condemned the repeated raids on students, calling it part of a broader crackdown on student activism. “Rather than supporting pro-education initiatives, authorities are detaining students simply for setting up a book stall,” the spokesperson said, adding that a similar incident occurred in Gwadar, where four BSAC members were arrested under “fabricated FIRs.”
BSAC urged human rights organizations, journalists, and civil society groups to take notice of what they described as growing restrictions on student-led educational initiatives. he group warned that continued suppression of student-led initiatives would be met with strong resistance, vowing to oppose efforts that undermine academic freedom and educational access in the region