Pakistan: Schools shut, mobile internet cut off across Balochistan amid security fears

Authorities in Pakistan’s Balochistan province have extended the closure of all educational institutions until March 31 and suspended mobile internet services across several cities, citing security concerns, according to a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP).The provincial Department of Colleges, Higher and Technical Education issued a notification covering public and private institutions, including primary schools, colleges, universities, polytechnic institutes, Balochistan Residential Colleges and cadet colleges. Academic and extracurricular activities have been halted during this period, the report said.

The current closure extends an earlier order that first suspended classes on March 9. Officials cited the prevailing security situation, the need to protect students and staff, and administrative reasons for prolonging the shutdown, TBP reported.
Mobile internet services have also been suspended in Quetta and in several other areas, including Noshki, Kharan, Dalbandin, Mastung, Kalat and Sibi. The provincial interior ministry said the blackout was imposed for security reasons but did not specify when services would be restored.The restrictions have drawn criticism from political groups and civil society activists, who say the measures disrupt daily life, restrict access to information and affect communication across the province. TBP reported that similar disruptions to train services and internet connectivity were also observed around March 23 amid heightened security arrangements.

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Authorities have not disclosed specific details about the threats behind the measures, describing them as precautionary steps. Independent verification of the situation remains difficult due to restricted access and limited official information, ANI stated.