Balochistan: Complete Shutdown Against Attempted Assassination of Educator

QUETTA: A complete shutter-down strike was observed in Turbat on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in response to the attempted assassination of well-known social figure and educator Sharif Zakir. The Director of Sachan Grammar School was targeted by unidentified armed assailants on a motorcycle in the Koshk Malikabad area on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. The attackers opened fire, injuring Zakir, who was shot twice in the legs.

Sharif Zakir has been a prominent advocate for education in the region for many years. His private school, Sachan Grammar School, has played a pivotal role in local education.

However, in recent months, Zakar has been subjected to multiple attacks, including a bombing and shooting incident at his residence in Singani Sar, Turbat, as well as the abduction of his young son Kamil Sharif and a close relative Ehsan Sarwar. Both remain missing.

In response to the attack, Turbat’s Civil Society called for a complete shutdown of the city, with all shops, business centres, banks, petrol pumps, and financial institutions closed for the day. Offices and private organisations also participated in the protest. The Private Schools Association announced the closure of all schools in solidarity with Zakar.

Additionally, judicial proceedings came to a halt as the Kech Bar and Makran Bar Associations called for a boycott of court activities in protest.

The Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) condemned the attack in the strongest terms, emphasising that it is part of a broader pattern of human rights violations against the educated class in Balochistan. The committee stated that such attacks are designed to further destabilise the region’s educational system and create an atmosphere of fear, keeping the population in ignorance.

The committee also highlighted the worsening human rights situation in Balochistan, referencing the brutal killing of MPhil scholar Allah Dad Baloch the previous week, alongside Tuesday’s attempted assassination of Zakir.

They condemned the ongoing attacks on teachers and scholars, as well as the unofficial ban on books, calling it a calculated effort to suppress education and intellectual freedom in the region.

In their statement, the Baloch Students Action Committee urged political parties, human rights organisations and lawyers to take meaningful action in response to these acts of violence. They also appealed to the people of Balochistan, especially young people, educators and intellectuals, to rise up against the growing threats and speak out in defence of education and human rights.