Covering Pakistan
In September 2023, Spheres of Influence (SOI) published an article about the civil unrest and political turmoil in Pakistan at the time. Writer Naima Khan stated: “From the echoes of the violence shed during the 1947 partition to the present-day civil unrest that has permeated provincial borders, Pakistan is a country that has struggled in its fight for democracy.”
In August 2023, SOI former writer Maham Kamal Khanum published an homage to her native Pakistan. In it, she describes the bittersweetness of visiting Pakistan and witnessing the hardships of the people from the perspective of a young émigré: “I am […] faced with processing and validating the lived experiences of those currently there, which are not always positive. As a country that is not in blatant war but is fighting a battle in every corner of its existence, Pakistan and her people are peculiar in their yearning for better times.”
There is arguably no clearer example of violence and political struggle in Pakistan affecting young people than the case of Balochistan. In Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest region, national authorities are cracking down on “dissent” in the area, predominantly targeting students and activists.
Balochistan
Balochistan is the largest yet least densely populated region of Pakistan, comprising almost half of the country’s total area. The region does not sit squarely in Pakistan; rather, it is divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, although the largest percentage of it is found in south-west Pakistan.
Balochistan is both blessed and cursed by its richness in natural resources, such as coal, sulphur, iron, marble, limestone and natural gas. The abundance of raw materials should make the region rich and prosperous. In reality, the region is incredibly poor. And not by accident.
The same resources—and Balochistan’s strategic geographical location—make the region an important economic asset for Pakistan, meaning that the state attempts to undermine the region’s long-held desire for autonomy. Chronic underinvestment in the region’s infrastructure and public services causes high levels of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy.
The Pakistani state treats those it deems to support Baloch independence particularly harshly. They employ “torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and State-support for sectarian, anti-Baloch groups” as tools of repression.
Struggle for Autonomy
In May 2025, Baloch nationalists declared independence from Pakistan. It did not take long for “Republic of Balochistan” to start trending across social media. However, the call was neither taken seriously nor recognized by the international community. Baloch independence movements have existed for decades, dating back to British colonial rule.
In response to the State’s contempt for the citizens of the region, the fight for Balochistan’s independence is not a peaceful struggle. Both sides have resorted to extreme violence, leading to numerous civilian deaths and casualties. It is a vicious cycle. Pakistan’s severe repression forces Baloch citizens to fight for the right to their land, while Pakistani authorities point to the violence of Baloch nationalists as a reason to impose ever more drastic measures.
Education in Balochistan
Almost half (44%) of Balochistan’s population cannot read and write. According to the South Asia Press, “78% of girls [are] out of school compared to 63% of boys. In rural Balochistan, the condition is much more alarming, given that less than 2% of women are known to be literate.”
Young people in the region want to seek out educational opportunities, though. The demand is reflected in the fact that the number of universities rose from just one to 11 in 20 years. However, Baloch universities are underfunded, and professors have seen their salaries frozen. The quality of education has declined to the extent that students often choose to pursue their education abroad.
Altogether, these factors have all but decimated the higher education system in Balochistan. A Baloch student, Rakib Baloch (alias), told SOI: “Rising education levels make the Pakistani government feel threatened. They fear that intellectuals are more likely to lead nationalist calls for Balochistan’s independence.”
Student Deaths and Disappearances
Actions against students go far beyond pulling funding and freezing teachers’ salaries. Students are in serious danger, regardless of whether they are still in Balochistan or not. Every year, there are hundreds of enforced disappearances at the hands of the State, although the Pakistani government denies any wrongdoing.
It is all too common for families to lose touch with relatives, not knowing whether they are alive or dead. In 2024 alone, there were over 200 student disappearances at the hands of the authorities, which is significantly more than any other demographic. Between 2011 and 2024, there were 10,467 enforced disappearances.
Our source, Rakib Baloch, said, “My friend has a cousin who just disappeared one day. His family do not know where he is, or if he is still alive. Can you imagine how that feels for his parents?” Even students who left Balochistan to study in other regions of Pakistan or different countries are living in fear.
In an article published by The Diplomat in June 2025, a group of Baloch students living in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, spoke of constant harassment, surveillance and intimidation. A student told The Diplomat: “They come late at night [and] enter our flat without permission. […] They follow us constantly in their Vigo vehicles, the kind everyone recognizes as used by state agencies. Whether we go to university or just out for tea, they follow us the entire way.”
Even outside of Pakistan, Baloch students feel unsafe. And rightfully so. There have been cases of prominent young Baloch activists dying in suspicious circumstances.
In March 2020, Swedish police found the body of the founder and editor of the Balochistan Times, Sajid Hussain. They found the body in a river near Uppsala, 80 kilometres from Stockholm. Police suggested foul play was unlikely. Months later, in December 2020, prominent activist and chair of the Baloch Student Association, Karima Baloch, drowned in Lake Ontario. Police in Toronto ruled out any foul play, claiming it was a suicide.
News outlets such as The Guardian and Deutsche Welle pointed out the similarities between the two cases. The notable parallels between the deaths led activists to suspect the involvement of the Pakistani military. As vocal advocates for human rights in Balochistan, Hussain and Baloch were no strangers to violence and death threats.
International Response
Human rights organizations have called for an end to the killings and disappearances of Baloch students. The deprivation of education and targeting of students as a political tool must be condemned. In particular, international academic institutions who recognize the importance of quality education should take a stronger, unified stance.
Yet, the global community refuses to stand unequivocally against the Pakistani authorities’ impunity. In fact, the treatment of and human rights abuses against civilians in Balochistan appear to have slipped under the global community’s radar.
It is unlikely that the world’s silence is unintentional. It is not in the international community’s best interest to intervene, as they also have stakes in the game. This is no better demonstrated than the ongoing deals between Pakistan, the United States, and China to extract raw materials in Balochistan. Generally, where there is money to be made, the value of human life is a secondary concern.
Looking to the Future
As a result of Pakistan’s impunity, it is hard to see how and when the violence in Balochistan will end. Despite the known dangers to their safety, young people both in and outside of Balochistan are leading the way in spreading global awareness about Balochistan.
One such young person is Mahrang Baloch, who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her actions against disappearances and unlawful killings. Meanwhile, movements such as The Baloch Action Network serve to uplift Baloch voices and tie them to the global, collective struggle for climate justice and indigenous rights.
It is clear that the Pakistani government understands the power of knowledge, community and grassroots movements. “If education was not highly important,” says Rakib Baloch, “they [the Pakistani authorities] would not target students and highly-educated people.”
In an Instagram post from June 14, 2025, activist Yusuf Baluch reminds us of the importance of educating ourselves, to understand how all global struggles are interconnected, stating: “[E]ven in a world like this, where tyranny feels so deeply entrenched, there are moments, glimpses when people come together and remind us that love, courage, and solidarity are stronger than any system built on cruelty. I hold on to that. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I believe we will win.”
Edited by Khushi Mehta
