Balochistan universities shut indefinitely over security concerns

• Sources say all academic activities shifted to virtual learning.
• BUIT has also called meeting to assess situation, add sources.
• Decision to reopen campuses to be made after Eid, reports AFP.

QUETTA: The University of Balochistan has been closed for an indefinite period, with all academic activities shifted to virtual learning, the administration announced on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University has already moved to online classes for female students. Sources said the universities were closed due to security concerns.

Moreover, the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) has suspended all classes until Eid-ul-Fitr, the university announced.

According to the statement, all BUITEMS classes will now be conducted online, while its transportation service has been halted indefinitely. However, academic activities at the university’s Zhob and Muslim Bagh campuses will continue as usual.

Quoting an anonymous provincial government official, the AFP reported that two universities were ordered to close for an "indefinite period" last week, while on Tuesday, a third was instructed to switch to virtual learning.

"The decision was made after reviewing the overall security situation," the official said adding, "It was decided to switch to virtual learning until further notice due to security concerns."

The decision to reopen the campuses, which will impact thousands of students, will be made after the Eid ul Fitr, just two weeks away, the official said.

Security across the provincial capital has been heightened, with an increased number of security forces on the streets and additional checkpoints set up throughout the city following the recent surge in separatist violence.

The development comes after last week's harrowing attack by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants who blew up train tracks and held over 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass in the Bolan district.

The military, after clearing the train and rescuing hostages, said it killed 33 attackers. Before the operation began, terrorists had martyred 26 passengers, while four security personnel were martyred during the operation.

The martyred train passengers included 18 security personnel from the army and the FC, three officials from Pakistan Railways and other departments and five civilians.

And on Sunday, at least five paramilitaries were martyred in a vehicle-borne suicide attack. The assaults were claimed by the BLA, one of a number of separatist groups operating in Balochistan near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.