Baloch students’ march reaches Okara

OKARA: The 22 activists of the Baloch Students Council arrived in Okara on Friday, the seventh day of their march from the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, on Islamabad via Lahore in protest at the termination of their scholarships and funds allocated by the Punjab government for Baloch students studying in public universities of Punjab.

Civil society and Democratic Students Federation (DSF) activists welcomed the group at 4/L bridge on GT Road.

Baloch students leader Waqar Baloch told reporters they would continue their protest till the acceptance of their demand.

He said that in 2012, the Punjab government initiated the ‘Right of Baluchistan’ package under which Balochistan students were provided free education in 10 universities of the province. The package was not revived by the BZU in 2020.

The university also stopped funding the students from DG Khan and triable areas. He said they protested for 40 days in front of the BZU campus but no one turned ear to their demands.

The group demanded that their demands be accepted. He said the Balochistan government contacted them and issued a notification regarding funding their education for one year which they did not accept.

Governor Chaudhry Sarwar also assured to settle their demands but to no avail.

While walking along the road, marcher Sami Baloch suffered minor injuries when a motorcyclist hit him.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2020