Tensions boil over in Balochistan as Pakistan’s provincial administration suspends 38 educators – 32 assistant professors and lecturers plus six women from college departments – for joining anti-government protests. The three-month penalty has ignited outrage among labor groups and students.
Issued under the stringent Balochistan Employees Efficiency and Discipline Act, the notification from the provincial secretary accuses the teachers of striking, padlocking offices, and halting government operations. It’s a direct response to ongoing agitation by the Balochistan Grand Alliance, led by chairman Abdul Quddus Kakar, who is also suspended.
The alliance represents public servants pushing for reforms amid chronic issues like salary delays and poor infrastructure. Their protests have paralyzed parts of Quetta and other districts, amplifying calls for accountability.
Employee organizations decried the move as an assault on democratic rights. ‘Suspending teachers for demanding fairness erodes trust and invites escalation,’ one leader stated. They predict heightened conflict if the government doesn’t reconsider.
Echoing this, the Baloch Students Action Committee slammed the action as emblematic of authoritarian tactics. ‘Balochistan’s history is riddled with suppression of just demands through violence,’ their spokesperson asserted. Punishing female professors, they argued, exposes hollow education promises, revealing a regime intimidated by intellect.
The committee called for immediate revocation of suspensions and peaceful negotiations. This saga highlights Balochistan’s volatile mix of separatist undercurrents, economic woes, and governance failures. With alliances vowing to continue, the standoff could spiral, challenging Islamabad’s control in the strategic province.
