Education crisis deepens as digital library barred in Balochistan

The shutdown of a digital library in Khuzdar, Balochistan, has intensified concerns over Pakistan’s worsening education crisis. Hundreds of students gathered peacefully on July 31 to denounce the closure, stating that without access to the library they cannot prepare for exams, conduct research, or complete routine assignments. Witnesses said the district administration sealed the library’s main gate after the march and subjected some demonstrators to rough handling. Protesters appealed directly to the provincial chief minister, the division commissioner and other authorities, insisting that the library be reopened without further delay. They cautioned that persistent obstruction could push them to block major highways in future protests. Analysts point to the incident as a symptom of broader systemic failures: insufficient infrastructure, fragmented policy implementation and chronic under‑funding that leave many provinces, especially Balochistan, lagging far behind the national average in school attendance and facility availability.