Students of BUETK extend protest into a symbolic hunger strike camp, demanding the fulfillment of educational rights

During a press conference, the leaders of the Grand Students Alliance addressed the ongoing protests at Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology Khuzdar. They stated that for the past two months, students have been advocating for their constitutional and legitimate educational rights.

The protest began in May, driven by several demands related to the serious issues faced by students at the university. In an attempt to draw attention to their concerns, the students boycotted classes and staged a peaceful sit-in. Unfortunately, the administration, including the Controller of Examinations, responded with a policy of intimidation and mistreatment towards the students. Instances of verbal abuse, misconduct, and even physical torture were reported.
Rather than addressing the demands put forth by the students, the administration adopted a harsh and abusive stance. They resorted to imprisoning university students for a period of four days, exemplifying the thuggish behavior of the administration. It was only when the students persisted in their demands and continued the protest that a delegation was sent by the Governor of Balochistan for negotiations.

Following negotiations with the delegation, the students agreed to temporarily suspend the protest based on an agreement that the Controller of Examinations would be relieved of his duties. The leaders of the protest asserted that the Governor’s delegation assured them that the Controller of Examinations had been dismissed and would officially be removed within a week. However, no progress has been made on this important issue, even after the agreed-upon time had elapsed.

In an attempt to disregard the students’ protests and demands, a notification was issued to hold semester exams after the Eid holidays. This decision was seen as an attempt to undermine the students’ significance and assert that their voices carried no weight within the university. The leaders emphasized that the intention was to convey that influential individuals held the ultimate power to decide students’ fate.

Consequently, the students collectively decided to boycott the exams until their demands were acknowledged and met. However, on the second day of the boycott, the administration filled the entire university premises with security forces, aiming to forcefully conduct the exams and disrupt the ongoing protest. Instead of addressing the students’ demands, the Jamia administration and the district administration called the police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, who surrounded the educational institution with armed individuals. Students were threatened with dismissal if they refused to take the exams, and their families were also subjected to intimidation.

When the students decided to peacefully continue their protest through a sit-in (dharna), security forces responded with a baton charge, resulting in the arrest of several students. Many students were subjected to physical assault, and their mobile phones were confiscated. The administration’s aggression reached the extent of breaking and seizing the rented tents, as well as sealing the tent service shop in the bazaar. Additionally, eight students were unjustly imprisoned and subjected to various forms of harassment, including threats of filing false FIRs (First Information Reports) against them. Ultimately, the district administration and the university administration coerced them into signing a document stating that they would not engage in future protests or class boycotts in order to secure their release.

In conclusion, the leaders expressed concern about the atmosphere of fear created by the bullying and hooliganism of the university administration at Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology. Students attend the university to pursue their educational goals, not to engage in street protests. However, the administration’s actions have created a hostile environment for students, hindering their academic progress. In light of the administration’s indifference and apathetic behavior, the Grand Students Alliance has decided to extend the protest. Starting today, the protest will transition into a formal symbolic hunger strike camp. The university administration has been given a three-day deadline to take the students’ demands seriously and promptly address them. Failure to do so will result in the conversion of the symbolic hunger strike camp into an actual hunger strike camp.