Amid a recent surge in attacks, Balochistan has ordered the closure of three universities in the province due to security concerns. Two universities in the provincial capital, Quetta, were shut indefinitely last week, while a third switched to virtual learning on Tuesday, according to a provincial administration official, who requested anonymity.
The decision to temporarily close the universities was made after a thorough review of the security situation, the official explained. “It was decided to switch to virtual learning until further notice due to security concerns.”
The campuses will remain closed until at least after Eidul Fitr, just two weeks away, when a decision to reopen will be made, the official added. In response to the escalating violence, security in Quetta has been intensified, with additional security forces deployed and extra checkpoints set up across the city.
This follows a series of attacks by Baloch separatists, including an assault on a train with over 400 passengers last week, which resulted in a two-day siege and dozens of fatalities. On Sunday, a vehicle-borne suicide attack killed at least five paramilitary personnel.
The attacks were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), one of several separatist groups that accuse outsiders of exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources, particularly near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.
