On one hand, our professors themselves are unsafe. Unidentified individuals in Mastung, Balochistan, reportedly abducted recently three Professors from University of Gwadar. On the other hand, the chief minister of Balochistan’s narrative suggests that PhD scholars are more dangers than BLA.
Why are Balochistan’s PhD scholars and intellectual being associate with militant groups, as the chief minister of Balochitan Sarfaraz Bugti mentioned his last speech that, the PhD are more dangers than BLA. This is not just a statement; it is big clam by province’s chief executive. If he has any evidence in this regard, as a chief executive of province he has to produce and public, as a citizen we have to know, who are they, who receives scholarships from Balochistan government and done their PhD they are not serving in community, provoking youth according to CM Balochistan, CM Balochistan's clam.
Currently, there are approximately 11 public universities in Balochistan, and according to an estimate, there are more than 200 PhD holders unirank.org.
Despite excluding PhD holders who are serving in various think tanks, research institute, colleges, private sector etc. Perhaps the remark was directed at some particular individuals. However, making such a generalized statement leave everyone else venerable as well. If CM Balochistan has any such evidence against someone, he should identify that person specifically rather than making broad allegations, otherwise, no one should have the right to associate someone with militant groups without solid evidence.
Allegations against intellectuals spark deep fear and psychological trauma across Balochistan's academic community.
On one hand, the chief minister will to announce PhD scholarship for Balochistan’s students at the Oxford University. On the other hand, he blames them and associates them with the BLA. These two messages contradict each other and raise serious questions about the government’s approach toward the youth of Balochistan. In addition, Baloch intellectual, PhD scholars, and political activist, have been facing such false allegation for a long time and being victimize by the government.
Speaking to The Friday times in this regard, faculty member said: “This statement has left the academic community feeling as though it is under suspicion. It has created an atmosphere of fear, anguish, and psychological trauma. It is self-evident that anyone who pursues a PhD, whether in the social sciences or any other discipline, develops expertise through rigorous research”. He emphasizes, “such scholar’s present research-based, evidence-based, and data-driven arguments, and their critical perspectives are grounded in scholarly inquiry rather than superficial or speculative claims”.
According to him, the tragedy is that anyone who does not endorse the official narrative is quickly assigned one label or another. This is a restriction on academic freedom and freedom of expression”. If the criticism is directed at a particular PhD scholar or individual, then it should be specified clearly. Making generalized statements in this way casts suspicion on the entire academic community, leaving many of us feeling deeply concerned, anguished, and psychologically affected, he added”.
The world is working to develop and produce human resources. Unfortunately, we often create condition where our self-made individuals, foreign educated PhDs, and intellectuals are forced to leave the country because they express dissenting opinions and criticize government polices.