Pakistan’s Balochistan government has taken decisive action against protesting public employees, suspending 38 college-level educators for three months. The list includes six female teachers from various departments, all accused of breaching discipline during recent strikes.
The official notification, per the Balochistan Secretary, relies on the Employees Efficiency and Discipline Act. Charges involve participating in work stoppages, securing office locks, and impeding duties – activities tied to the Balochistan Grand Alliance’s campaign for employee welfare.
Alliance chairman Abdul Quddus Kakar numbers among the suspended, spotlighting the group’s role in spearheading protests over unpaid dues, subpar facilities, and policy neglect. Demonstrations have gripped the province, voicing frustrations long ignored by authorities.
The backlash was swift. Labor unions expressed alarm, viewing the suspensions as a ploy to muzzle dissent. ‘This punishes advocacy, not misconduct, and will only deepen divisions,’ they cautioned, signaling potential for broader unrest.
The Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) condemned it vehemently, linking it to a legacy of oppressive responses to justice seekers. ‘Suppressing legitimate cries with suspensions and arrests shames any democratic pretensions,’ they declared. Targeting educators, especially women, contradicts reform rhetoric and betrays priorities away from public good.
BSAC pressed for dialogue over coercion, imploring the government to lift penalties and address grievances peacefully. Against Balochistan’s backdrop of insurgency and underinvestment, this episode risks radicalizing moderates, complicating stability efforts in Pakistan’s largest, least developed province.