Balochistan: Students threaten to shift protest to red zone over Medical College closure
Dec 24, 2024
Balochistan [Pakistan], December 24 : Student organizations in Balochistan have issued a warning that they will move their ongoing sit-in protest to the Red Zone of the Balochistan Secretariat if their demands for the reopening of Bolan Medical College (BMC) and its hostels are not met within three days.
During a press conference on Monday, the students stated that their peaceful sit-in in Quetta has been ongoing for 27 straight days, despite the harsh winter weather, The Balochistan Post reported. They criticised the provincial government and the college administration for neglecting their concerns.
The students expressed their rage and stated, "For over a month, Bolan Medical College has been forcibly closed, and its hostels have been occupied by police. Despite enduring severe cold weather, neither the provincial government nor the college administration has taken our concerns seriously or engaged with us."
The students also alleged that authorities have been using the closure of educational institutions, such as Balochistan University and Agriculture University in Baleli, as an excuse to justify greater militarization, The Balochistan Post reported.
They further stated, "This systematic policy is leading to student profiling, harassment, and enforced disappearances." The students outlined their main demands as the reopening of BMC and its hostels, the cessation of militarization policies, and the resumption of academic schedules.
"These are constitutional and legal rights that have been repeatedly ignored. If our demands are not met within three days, we will relocate our sit-in protest to the Red Zone. The provincial government and college administration will bear full responsibility for any escalation," the students highlighted.
The students called for the support of the public. The students stated, "This is not just about Bolan Medical College. This is about safeguarding education in Balochistan and resisting the militarization of our institutions."
The students stressed that their protest had been peaceful. For 27 days, they have demonstrated lawfully and democratically. They will keep demanding their rights through non-violent methods. As per the report, neither the provincial government nor the college administration has addressed the students' demands or the three-day ultimatum.
